Solitude
by AyutaYutyl
Summary: Haunted by his pasts, Len confines himself behind walls of solitude, to protect himself from the world. Rin Kagamine is a school rebel who gets her points across with knockouts. Fate determines that the two coincide, and when they do, nothing will ever be the same again.
1. Unusual Way of Saying 'Hello'

**Chapter One – Unusual way of saying 'hello'.**

**Hey readers, welcome to my second fic, 'Solitude'!**

**I was supposed to be working on my first story, 'Bloodlust', but this came up instead. So I thought, why not?**

**Meh...**

**Anyways, hope you enjoy it!**

* * *

_Len was seeing stars. Brief, instant bursts of light as the world around him spun in a disorientated, uncontrolled manner. The voices, the insults, the threats, they all sounded rather muffled, as if he was hearing them underwater. In his mouth he could taste iron, coated around the walls of his oral cavity, his teeth, his saliva dark red with blood. His blood._

_His body was numb, in a crouched, foetal position, burying his head in his knees, his teeth clenched tightly shut to prevent screams of pain escaping his mouth. His screams only egged them on, his cries only made them hit him harder, faster. _

Thwack!Thwack! _Len cringed in pain as cold metal baseball bat impacted with his thin, huddled frame again and again. His cries of pain was audible over the den of noise, which only grew louder as he felt his shoulder bone dislocate from their joints. His tormentors only laughed louder, hitting him harder with jagged sticks and pelted him with stones, leaving behind lacerations and discolouring patches on his thin frame. _

_Sticks and stones, indeed. _

_There he lay, his blood seeping out of his many wounds, pooling around him, shadows of his tormentors casting over his still body, almost as if they were burying him underneath. His breaths were laboured and ragged, as if breathing itself became a difficult task. His visions were blurry, the scene around him dancing mesmerizingly, gently lulling him into sweet oblivion. He could vaguely see someone approach him, a metal pipe that gleamed ominously clutched tightly in its hand. Without a word, the figure raised the pipe, much like how an executioner would raise his axe before his prisoners, and without a word, brought it down, the cold, indifferent slab of metal coming closer and closer…_

* * *

Len's eyes snapped wide open, taking note of his rapid shallow breaths, and beads of sweat dangling on his messy blonde locks. With a sigh he wiped his sweaty brow with sleeves of his PJ's, and glanced at the clock. The bright green neon numbers '6:15am' contrasted with the darkness of his room. Groaning he slammed his head back on the pillow, tiredly wiping his face as he contemplated about his dreams.

"Another nightmare…" one of many, to be precise. Nightmares weren't anything new to him, having constantly plaguing him for god-knows-how-long. The contents weren't foreign to him, either. Every night, every time he fell asleep, he revisited his painful pasts in Morpheus' realm, like how one would rewind the tape again and again and again. Except that he wasn't watching as the spectator, no he was revisiting the incidents from his own perspectives, re-living the ordeal over and over again.

He chuckled without a hint of amusement as he mused how much 'better' he was coping, according to those councillors his foster father, Leon, requested him to pay weekly visits to. At the least, he no longer woke up screaming, an indication that he was getting more used to his nightly torments.

Len knew going back to sleep was no longer an option – once he awoke from his nightmares, all sleep left him, leaving him tired and weary, as if the nightmares were sapping away at his very life, inch by inch, little by little. It was as if with each passing night, a little bit of Len died, whatever positive outlook he had on life slowly fading, slowly becoming a shadow, an empty shell devoid of emotion.

And this made Len afraid. He was afraid of falling asleep, fully knowing what would await him the moment his conscience slipped away, trapping him in a world he knew he couldn't escape from. No matter how hard he tried to force himself awake, in the end, it would always come back to haunt him, dragging him slowly into never-ending darkness.

Of course, no one would ever see him cry, no one would ever hear his screams of anguish, his desperate pleas. To let anyone see would mean exposing his weakness, his vulnerability, and he would be damned before he exposed himself bare for people to tear at him. No one would ever see the real Len Kagamine behind his mask of indifference, behind the thick walls he erected around himself to protect himself against demons called people.

Call him paranoid, mad, downright psychopathic. They wouldn't know what he has gone through, what he was still going through. They wouldn't understand how he felt and would feel, just barely enduring the day while desperately holding his shattered life together, trying not to break, dreading the next sunrise and the next sunset. Living, but not truly alive, a mere existence without a purpose, without a reason.

Len himself didn't know why he was still alive. He had no friends, his foster father was rarely home, and he had no particular ambition, no specific goals in life to strive for. He was nobody, someone who merely existed but never really acknowledged, easily fading into background without anyone being the wiser.

He was tired of living, tired of dreading the nights, tired of everything. But killing himself wasn't something he was willing to do. He didn't exactly know why, just the fact that something tugged away at his mind, preventing himself from going too far. No matter how hard he tried to identify it, he could never find it, let alone identify what it was.

Sighing, he got up and headed for the shower, deciding that he didn't need to torture his mind with such thoughts any more than he needed to on Monday mornings. He decided that he officially hated high schools, especially schools on Monday mornings.

* * *

xxXxx

* * *

Riding on her motorbike, Rin Kagamine was the epitome of badassery. Dressed in black jean shorts, black tights reaching up to her mid-thigh, her signature white bow on her head, orange singlets beneath her black leather jacket, torn off at the sleeves to expose her smooth, slender arms, her choice of attires garnered many looks, mostly from the male side of the student population. Several male students made their way towards her, with looks of lust and hunger.

"Hey babe, you lookin' pretty hot, there. Wanna have some good time?" one of the guys asked as he leaned closer, with lecherous look in his eyes.

Rolling her eyes, she hopped off her black Suzuki Hayabusa GSXR1300R which had orange flames decorated on the sides, took off her matching design helmets and glared at her 'audience'. "Thanks, but I don't date would-be rapists. So, on that note, just fuck off."

"We weren't asking, hon." The guy growled, stepping closer to her with his fist raised. "You're coming with us whether you like it or not, and we ain't taking a 'no' for an answer!" With that, the thug threw his punch, aiming at her face. Instead, his fist met with an empty air, and even before he could contemplate, he felt his face being tugged forward, right before they collided harshly with Rin's knees. With an audible _snap _as cartilages broke, the thug collapsed in an unceremonial heap, clutching his nose while crying furiously.

Enraged at her retaliation, the remaining thugs all charged at her with their fists raised, though they all soon met the same fate and ended up on the ground, unconscious with one soiling his stomach on the concrete pavement, bile and half-digested crap decorating the ground.

With a snort, Rin dusted herself off, looking unharmed and with a bored look on her face. These thugs were, what, about a head taller than her, and twice as wide, and still got their asses kicked. The first thug even cried like a little kid. What a pussy.

A loud applause caused Rin to turn and look at her 'friends', dressed in similar attires, already off their identical motorbikes, albeit with different designs.

Rin took a mock-bow, before she pouted in mock annoyance as she walked up to her friends, and started ranting off, "You fuckers were just watching from the sidelines? You didn't bother helping me out?"

Miku laughed, before she replied, "Why not? You never needed any help with stuffs like this, that, and we were bored."

When Rin gritted her teeth, Gumi slapped her lightly on the back, "Chill out, girl. No need to bitch out on us. I mean, we know you could kick their ass any time of day, we've seen it before. Why would today be any different?"

"'kay, 'kay, whatever. Now let's get going, the teachers are gonna be on our asses again and I'd rather not stay here any longer than I need to." Rin sighed. Her friends were watching from the sidelines, enjoying the show, rather than helping her out. Some friends she had.

But they were right. They knew that Rin wouldn't want help for things like this, seeing how she was strong enough to deal with them. They knew Rin wasn't really angry at them; it was just another way of her greeting her friends she knew since childhood.

And Rin knew this as well.

Soon they were cracking jokes and laughing, slinging insults back and forth, while the corridor echoed with their raucous laughter. A teacher opened the door and yelled, "Hey, you lot! Keep your voice down!"

"Why don't YOU shut the fuck up, fatty!" Rin yelled back, annoyance etched in her face. Some fat teacher thought he knew better, and told them to shut up?

'_Fat cunt. Bet this son of a bitch never got laid before, with that attitude of his.' _Rin thought, scowling at the teacher who looked rather flabbergasted at the fact that a student was talking back to teachers.

Miku, Gumi and Neru sniggered; this guy must've been new, either that, or he must've lived under a rock if they never heard about Rin Kagamine and her fellow biker rebel girls. They were, according to fellow Crypton High students, the hottest and the most dangerous girls, practically terrorising the school and its inhabitants, staff and students alike. It went without saying they were rebels, breaking school rules without batting an eyelash, doing whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted. Detentions were nothing more than scraps of papers, and adrenaline rush from their crazy stunts and speeding on motorbikes were like drug to them.

After so many crazy things they've done, insulting a teacher in his face was almost natural for the rebels.

Said teacher was imitating a goldfish, his mouth bobbing up and down without a sound as he was lost for words. The image was ridiculous enough to send them to another gale of laughter, which caused the red-faced teacher to slam the door shut in embarrassment.

'_Us hot rebels 1, fat staff 0.' _Rin thought with a triumphant smirk.

* * *

"Ugh, fucking gym…" Rin groaned out loud when the bell rang, signifying the beginning of yet another class which in Rin's timetable, was Physical Education.

She didn't hate sports – on the contrary, sports were one of her strong points, having won several trophies in sports tournament. No, what grated on her nerves were the gym uniforms.

"Those uniforms still bugging you, Rinny?" the tealette asked, already in her gym uniform, with a knowing smirk in her face. She knew Rin hated those gym uniforms, and for tomboys like Rin, articles of clothing that were meant to bring out and emphasise femininity was a foreign, even unwelcome, concept to Rin.

"Honestly, I don't know what kind of sick-fuck came up with these designs. I mean, look at those shorts! They aren't even shorts! They don't come _close _to being categorised as shorts! We might as well as strip and parade in our underwears!" Rin fumed, glaring daggers at the seemingly offensive piece of clothing.

"Rinny, I think you're exaggerating. Besides, you really need to show off a bit more, I mean, you're hot, for god's sake. Show some skin, girl!" Miku urged in what she believed was a helpful manner.

Rin sighed in exasperation. "Show some skin? I'm not gonna dress up like some slut!"

"That's what you think, Rin. Honestly, you're a girl, and girls are supposed to _like _wearing feminine stuff!

"Thanks for confirming my general lack of femininity, Miku." Rin groaned. "Besides, I already wear how a girl should according to you, so butt off." She said, as she pointed at her attire. Miku scanned her up and down, before shaking her head, saying, "Probably, but still, you could do _sooo _much better…"

"Miku, I'm NOT, I repeat, NOT going to play your Barbie, 'kay? And do much better? You mean, wear less and bare more?" Rin harrumphed, her arms crossed over her chest.

"But-!" Miku cried out in denial before she was interrupted by a shriek that grated on their nerves, "Kagamine! Hatsune! Get moving to the gym, NOW!"

"Fuck, hate that bitch…" Rin muttered in annoyance as she clutched her ears in pain, trying in vain to recover from the gym instructor's infamous shrieks that could potentially have people bleeding from their ears. Just what did she have for lungs, foghorns? One glance at Miku's disorientated look told her the tealette wasn't faring much better either.

She glanced at the piece of offending article of clothing in her hand, and she briefly thought about ripping the damn thing apart just to have a legitimate excuse to not attend the gym. But she wasn't keen on getting permanent hearing damage either. Sighing, she chose the latter of the two. At the least, gym session was only an hour or so long. What could possibly go wrong?

* * *

Several accidents and three hours of gym cleaning later, one tired Rin Kagamine made her way to her motorbike, her gait rather unsteady as she swayed side to side like a drunkard. She wasn't really drunk, just so effin' tired. Her eyes were closed, tired moans escaping from her mouth which put a light blush on several guys who heard and interpreted the sound from… less than innocent perspectives.

She paid them no heed – all Rin Kagamine had on her mind was go back, take a long, nice soak in hot water, eat oranges, then crash early. Fuck homework, she had better stuff to do, like sleep. Then roll over and sleep some more.

She was so engrossed in her daydreams of nice relaxation that she didn't notice she was walking into someone before they both fell to the ground. She heard a surprised yelp as she fell on her back, with the stranger falling on top of her. Opening her eyes she met a pair of deep blue eyes, that sparkled with surprise before they rapidly faded to dull blue.

She suddenly blushed at the intimate position they were in – with the stranger, no, a blonde boy her age lying on top of her in awkward positions. The boy quickly took in the situation, and quickly got up, dusting himself off, and extended a hand in gentlemanly gesture to help her up.

Rin nearly took the hand, before she realised what she was doing, and what she was almost about to do. Did she just blush? Because of a _guy_? No guy ever made her blush like an idiot, never! For years many guys hounded after her, asking her out and whatnot, and all she ever did was flip them off, insult them, and more often than not, wiped the floors with them, mocking them for losing to a girl.

Now, some guy walks into her and makes her feel all giddy and blush like a fool?

She couldn't let this happen, she could not, would not, damage her pride over this. Gritting her teeth, she slapped his hand away, taking note of how his surprised expression quickly disappeared, replaced with a look of indifference.

"What the fuck? Watch where you're going, dumbass!" she hissed angrily as she dusted herself off. She glared at the blonde boy, who shrugged nonchalantly, before replying in a flat voice, "Sorry."

With that, he turned around, and began to walk away, leaving a confused Rin who stood gaping at the retreating figure of the mysterious boy. She expected him to apologise while sweating profusely, like many guys did after she beat them up. She didn't expect this… _dull _response, one that sounded devoid of emotion. It sounded like he wasn't even aware of the situation.

It was as if he was blatantly ignoring her, considering her not worth his time. At the thought of this Rin's mind boiled in anger, some random guy just flipped her off, as if she was nothing? That was it, this guy was in for some beatings. No one messed with Rin Kagamine and got away with it unscathed!

With a snarl she charged at the boy, who still had his back on her. She didn't care whether she was playing dirty while her opponent had his back on her, but this was neither a challenge nor a duel; it was a hunt, and Rin was the huntress, charging at her seemingly unsuspecting prey.

She let the momentum fuel her punch, expecting to feel her knuckle against the blonde's skull.

When she hit nothing but empty air, she was surprised when she felt a grip on her outstretched arm, and next thing she knew, she was on the ground lying on her back, her back and butt aching and her head throbbing lightly. When she looked up, she saw the boy looking at her, hands in his pockets, looking at her with a look she didn't recognise.

* * *

xxXxx

* * *

It was another shitty day at Crypton High.

Len didn't deal well with crowded areas, too many people, too much noise, and too much distraction. In the crowds, anyone had the potential to single him out as a target, and the general sheep of the student population would start tearing away at the target, for no other reason than 'just because'.

He wasn't sure whether these students would do anything, but he wasn't taking any chances. Long, painful experiences in the past taught him to never let his guard down, lest an opportunist exploits that brief chink in the armor and break in through. The results were never good, and only got worse.

Which was why he was simply sitting in a secluded corner, headphones on his ears and drowning the noise in the cafeteria with music flowing into his ears. Après un rêve, piano arrangement by Gabriel Urbain Fauré was his choice of music that day, perhaps not so fitting to the current context, but it soothed him nevertheless, the almost melancholic tones like a lullaby in his ears.

He felt his eyes drooping, but managed to shake himself awake, all the while feeling like just narrowly escaping death. Falling asleep, in the middle of overcrowded cafeteria was like suicide, exposing himself to the demons both in and out of his mind. Shaking his head, he got up, and walked out, wandering aimlessly without a specific place in mind. His walk took him to a parking area, and immediately his attention was drawn to several bikes that stood out in the sea of bland, colourless gray cars.

He vaguely knew who the bikes belonged to, the Biker Rebel Girls were well-known not just in this school, but in the city as well. Even the police had some rough time dealing with the girls, according to the news he read online. If even the law enforcers had trouble dealing with these girls, a handful of high school teachers stood no chance against them, they would be ravaged the moment shit hit the fan.

These rebels – four of them, to be exact – were revered by some, hated by others, and generally feared and avoided by the general populace. No one in their right minds would want to interact with someone who could potentially blow shit up and just downright… different. In a sea of law-abiding citizens, these girls stood out like a sore thumb.

Opposite to how he faded into the background like shadow, a mere transient whisper of fleeting wind, a flickering candlelight in a storm.

He was brought out of his muse when he felt someone collide into him, and as the person fell back he was pulled along for the fall. Immediately Len was aware of the position they were in, him on top of someone rather… soft. One cursory glance at the person told him it was a girl underneath him (not _that _way!), and that this girl was Rin Kagamine, with her signature white ribbon nestled on her head.

Quickly he got up, and silently reached out his hand and offered his help to stand her up. He was briefly surprised at how her face was somewhat red – was she sick or something? It's not like he had any infectious diseases or anything. He was taken aback when Rin suddenly slapped his hand away, and hissed at him in anger, "What the fuck? Watch where you're going, retard!"

Of course, she would lash out like this, her volatile temper was infamous around here, one that usually ended up with several guys – sometimes girls – bedridden in hospital for injuries, from bruises to broken bones.

He did expect her to lash out at him, whether it was his fault or not. So why was it, that despite having predicting her possible reaction, he felt slight pang of disappointment? Disappointment over what? Was he expecting something else from her? From Rin Kagamine, the tomboyish firebrand? Did he hope for something else? What was it? Why?

He was brought out of his musing when he realised he hasn't answered her. Inwardly sighing, he muttered an apology, "Sorry."

He knew he sounded rather nonchalant, and to be honest, he found that he didn't really care. He was confused, confused as to why he was feeling this way, a foreign feeling he never dealt with before, hence had no idea how to process it.

With that, he turned around and walked away, not caring what really happened. Still, he heard her snarl, the sound of rapid footstep saw him lean forward and duck just in time to see a fist sail in the space where his head occupied just moments ago.

With pure reflex he grabbed her outstretched hand, and using her momentum, easily shoulder-tossed her to the ground, ensuring to minimise his force behind his attack. The last time he let his strength run amok uncontrolled, he nearly killed his assailants, something that he took to heart rather hard.

Looking at Rin he could see she was dazed and surprised, but otherwise looking relatively unharmed. Letting out an inaudible breath of relief, he took another good look at her. The fact that she attacked him shaken up somewhat, it's been a while since people tried to hit him, and back then he was unable to do anything but crouch and endure the pain. The first and last time he utilised his training against his assailants, he let his hate get the better of him, and practically demolished them, putting two in comatose states, potentially killing two more, and leaving permanent damages to four others. They could never walk on two feet again after that.

That day was an eye-opener for the blonde – he could fight well, he had the potential to hurt, to kill people who wronged him and made his life hell. He liked, no, _loved _the feeling, the power, the potential.

This revelation made him afraid of himself. He may have hated his tormentors, but never did he ever thought to hurt them _that _badly, enough to kill. Seems like he underestimated how much he hated them, how much he undermined himself.

Since then he made sure to avoid all social contacts – if he didn't interact with people he wouldn't have to have reasons to hate them, and thus, would not find reasons to hurt them. In a way, he was locking himself away, deep into a prison of seclusion, behind the bars of solitude.

And now, the confrontation with Rin started to bring out that side of him again, rearing its head through the surface, desperate for more.

Len knew he had to leave, _now. _'_Before things get worse.' _Len grimaced in thought. He was about to turn around and this time, _run, _when a foot seemingly appeared out of nowhere and slammed into his head, making him stagger back. He saw how Rin was on her feet now, fists raised, her body tense and in a fighting stance, her eyes locked on to his. She had a smirk on her face, eager for the challenge.

* * *

xxXxx

* * *

"So you got in with a lucky hit, huh? Won't be so easy to get me next time, fucker." With a roar, she rushed in, quickly throwing jabs and hooks, before adding a roundhouse kick to her combo.

None of her strikes hit.

Rin was fast, she wasn't a black belt aikido for nothing. She was a martial artists, and has been for good long years. With her style, she was able to beat down guys twice her size, regardless of their physique, and always got her points across with knockouts. The fact that she was also small made them underestimate her, which served as a downfall for many offenders.

She was basically a guy-beater, someone many girls looked up to, as a powerful, unbeatable figure, a super heroine. No guy she ever fought before managed to best her, though some gave her hard times. Even then, she emerged victorious.

That was why she was surprised when the boy managed to avoid her strikes, displaying amazing bouts of athleticism as he bent, twisted and flipped acrobatically around her punches and kicks. What also surprised and angered her at the same time was how he was always dodging (rather effortlessly, much to her frustration) but didn't seem to hit back, despite rare open moments between her combos that the boy _could've _utilised to land in direct hits, but never did, rather retreating further and further.

She was getting annoyed, this was going nowhere. "Fight back, you pussy! What, too afraid to hit a girl?" Rin taunted, her smirk back in her face. She inwardly cheered in triumphant as she saw his face darken, seemingly agitated by her insults. The tactic of angering your opponent to the state where they lose all focus was one of the oldest tricks in the book, but still effective, nonetheless.

Her smirk faded to a frown when the boy grew still, almost _too _still. Then, before she knew it, he disappeared, reappearing in front of her at a blink of an eye, the sudden speed leaving Rin stunned in disbelief. _'How…?'_

With a feral snarl, the boy punched the concrete wall behind her, his fist a blur to her eyes. A thunderous noise brought Rin's gaze to the concrete wall… or what was left of it. The concrete block was shattered into smaller pieces, the cloud of dust rising from where the wall stood before.

Rin gulped, and felt a chill running down her spine. This… _boy, _a mere high school kid, managed to practically demolish a concrete wall? Without even getting his hands fucked?

She was brought out of his musing when the boy took deep breaths, before muttering, "Sorry." With that, he ran, easily jumping over the fence that was as tall as his height, and ran out of sight.

Rin was stumped, just what had happened? Was that all for real? Well, the concrete wall, or what was left of it, answered her question. Just who was he, strong enough to punch through a concrete wall? Especially someone who didn't even look physically strong?

She knew she wasn't going to get her answers just by sitting down here. Her fatigue forgotten, she got on her motorbike, revved the engine, and soon she was speeding away.

* * *

If there was one thing Rin could describe about Neru Akita, the first thing that popped in her mind was 'cyber criminal'.

Neru Akita was a virtual nightmare, being the original creator of at least several worst computer viruses that breached just about every form of net security blocks, shutting down the city's entire LAN for few days. Ney Futapie was soon to appear on the news, and was labelled as a wanted criminal, for extensive damage caused on the Net, while Neru Akita safely sat on her chair and shared a good laugh or two. Beyond that, she once hacked into national bank system, slithering her way in through every digital nook and cranny of the security. She was close to getting access to the top-security branch of the bank, though the protection was well-made, and she had to completely fry her computer to hide her traces. Since then, she kept a low profile, doing small time hacking for enjoyments, or in this case, for requests.

Neru Akita wasn't one to pry like their favourite tealette sister-in-all-but-blood, but even so, she was curious. "So who do you want me to find again?"

Rin growled impatiently. "I don't know, didn't catch his name, just blonde hair, dull blue eyes, kinda thin, and really, really quiet."

Neru rolled her eyes. "You do realise that, what, about fifty-one percent of the student population is blonde?"

"And how many of them are guys?"

"Approx. twenty-five percent. Which is still too big a number. You need to be more specific, is he in our class, or what?"

"I don't know, don't remember seeing him."

"Mmhmm, any distinguishing features, like facial disfigurations, or injuries like broken bones?"

"Not that I'm aware of… wait! His hair, he had a short ponytail, about few inches long."

"Hmm…" Neru typed on her computer furiously, before the roster containing all the students and their details poppled up. As Neru scrolled down, Rin quickly said, "Wait, wait, back up, back up. Scroll back up, just… there. Yeah, this is definitely him."

"Hmm, 'Len Kagamine'… hey, same surname as you." Neru stated, looking at Rin. "You related?"

"Unless I had a mysterious twin and was separated at birth, no." Rin scoffed.

"Okay, okay, calm down. Anyways, let's see… huh, nothing really much about him. He's an orphan, lost his parents at young age, took in by the orphanage and kicked out at his 13th birthday… ouch…" Neru grimaced. "Poor guy…"

"What happened?" Rin asked.

"Doesn't say, it just says he was kicked out, no explanations as to why. Anyways, he was seen roaming the streets and sleeping in alleyways for about two years, before he disappeared for three years, then reappeared suddenly out of nowhere, and adopted by a man called Leon Yamaha, who travels around a lot for work, so is rarely at home."

Rin suddenly felt bad for him, his life must've been really shitty. Was that the reason why he was so quiet, so distant from people, enough to easily fade and blend in with the background?

Putting her sympathy aside, she enquired further, "Um, what about his self-defence, is there anything about his fighting history?"

Neru looked up at Rin with a confused look. "Rin, just what is it about this guy you're trying to find out about? You never asked anything like this before, much less about a guy! Is there something going on between the two of you?"

"Nononononono, no _way. _It's just…" Rin sighed, pinching bridge of her nose as she weighted the options. Should she tell them what happened, or should she just keep it a secret? Both had their pros and cons, but she wasn't exactly sure which option would be more favourable.

"Alright. I'll tell you, but I need others here as well. And whatever you do, _never _tell anyone else apart from us, got it?" Rin hissed.

Neru nodded solemnly, before she took out her phone and dialled several numbers.

Family meeting was in order.

* * *

**A/N: I just finished my finals, and summer holiday is just around the corner! Hell yea!**

**Not sure what to say here, does anyone read A/N at all?**

**...Ahem, anyways, please RATE and REVIEW!**

**Ja ne!**


	2. Long, Tiresome Day

**Chapter Two – Long, Tiresome Day**

**Well, here's the second chapter for my second fic, _Solitude_. Enjoy!**

* * *

"So, let me get this straight, you picked _yet another _fight with a guy – "

"You make it sound like I enjoy picking fights…" Rin grumbled under her breath, her arms folded over her chest, looking up at the purple-haired swordsman with a glare. Said swordsman simply raised an eyebrow at her, looking at her with that _are-you-kidding-me _look.

"Okay, maybe I do a _little_…" Rin sighed, her voice emphasised on the word, 'little'.

Gakupo continued, "And he managed to punch through a concrete wall? With his bare hands?"

Rin nodded. "Yeah, no gloves, nothing. His hand was still fine, no broken bones, no blood, nothing."

Silence reigned over the dining room and its inhabitants. Gakupo was tapping his chin in a thinking pose. Sitting next to him Kaito stared at Rin with an incredulous look on his face, which was mirrored in the tealette's face as she sat on his left. Gumi's eye widened, her eyes darting over Gakupo and Rin alternatively, like the ball on tennis match. Volley and serve, hit and return.

Luka looked in disapproval, seemingly more concerned about Rin getting into another fight, one of many which she instigated, rather than how a guy punched through a concrete wall, bare-handed. Rin would've snorted in amusement, but then again, as the mother-figure of the group, she thought Luka felt the wellbeing of her 'children' were the main priority, with all and everything else taking a backseat.

Meiko was drunk, as usual, her snoring and a bottle of sake clutched loosely in her hand being a dead giveaway. It was nothing unusual, the aunt-figure of the household was more often drunk than not, choosing the better half of the day immersed in as Rin called, 'yeast excrement'. Most likely she wouldn't remember just what they were talking about during 'family meeting', assuming she even remembered they had one to begin with.

The blonde cyber criminal looked at Rin in disbelief, whether it was disbelief in fact that Len punched through a concrete wall bare-handed, or that Rin nearly lost in a fight against a _boy, _Rin couldn't tell. Not that she really cared, she needed the answer. "Gakupo-nii? You got anything there?"

Gakupo looked up, "I'm not sure whether I'm right, but your boyfriend-"

"Shut it, he's NOT my boyfriend!" Rin yelled out angrily. The inhabitants chuckled, Miku poking her astonishingly _red _face, teasing, "In denial, are we?"

Rin's oh-so-mature response was blowing a raspberry, which the tealette gladly returned.

Coughing, Gakupo continued, "As I was saying, the fact this Len could do something like that could be attributed to his 'ki'." Gakupo looked around, taking note of general confused expression on their faces. With a sigh, he explained, "The exact definition of 'Ki' isn't really set, different people have different perspectives in interpreting what it is. From what I understand, Ki is like a form of life energy, a life force that exists in our bodies, the very chair we're sitting on, the trees, the earth, everything.

This energy contains a lot of potential, and this energy can be used for different aspects like healing, self-defence, or in your friend's case, breaking things. And these potentials can only be cultivated by unique means, martial arts being the most common."

Rin looked at him confusedly, "What exactly does all that entail?"

"Basically it means that, martial artists who utilise this form of energy are on a whole new level with those who simply lash out with their muscular power. Whereas simple brutes flex their muscles and believe themselves to be the toughest, those who are well-trained in harnessing ki can strike at any opponents regardless of their size, and emerge victorious." Gakupo explained.

"You've been doing it for long without realising it. Otherwise how could you be able to beat guys twice as big as you? It's not because you were physically stronger, just your ki was strong enough to flatten them."

Rin nodded in understanding, "So Len is more or less the same?"

Gakupo hesitated, before carefully answering, "In a way."

Noticing Rin's frown, Gakupo held up his hand in an attempt to pacify her. "I need to see your friend with my own eyes before I say anything. For all I know, I could be wrong, or maybe not. Whatever it is, I need to clarify it first, before anything else. Which means, Rin, I might need to follow you to school."

"Just stay out of sight and don't do anything stupid." Rin sighed. Why did things have to be so fucking complicated?

* * *

xxXxx

* * *

In one of his rare moments he was thankful that it was night, the darkness covering him as he flipped and jumped from roof to roof, making barely a sound as he acrobatically flipped and jumped down to his veranda outside his room. No way was he going to do anything like that in broad daylight, he would attract unwelcome attention like bees to a honey, and he _really _didn't want to explain the law enforcers why he was jumping from roof to roof rather than walking on the ground like a normal citizen. They wouldn't believe him if he said that he felt rather uneasy walking in the crowd, not knowing who was enemy and who wasn't. They would simply label him a psychopath, and sometimes, Len felt the same.

Still, his mind was focused on the events that transpired several hours ago. He didn't know why Rin lashed out like she had – as far as he could see, he didn't do anything wrong, or was he just so disgusting that people couldn't even look at him without feeling the urge to hit him?

With a sigh he sat on his bed, stripping off his sweat-drenched clothes and took out a fresh pair of shirts and shorts. With a heavy heart he contemplated his next course of action; what would he do now? After his momentary loss of control and his demolition of the concrete wall, how would she react? Would she see him as some kind of freak? Would she tell other people? Spread rumors? Turn the whole school against him?

If she did, what would he do then? Going back to high school would be like walking into a den of wolves, where other students would tear him apart, reduce him to nothing, and it'll be another incident for him to revisit during the night, another nightmare to slowly eat away at him.

He could move away, he could somehow sell the house and get the money, and run away, somewhere far, far away, and hope for the best.

Even though he knew the chance of this happening was next to zero.

What would Rin think? This thought alone sent another wave of confusion to the distraught teen – why did he care about what she thought? She hated him, didn't she? Like so many others did before in the past, this sudden display of dislike wasn't anything new. People hated him, and he hated them back. This was how it always was, how things always turned out.

So why was he feeling so bitter about her hating him?

He remembered how she insulted him, calling him a coward, and egged him on to strike back. Whether she meant it or not didn't really register in his mind, just the fact that she said it was more than enough to cause him to see red, all thoughts of self-inhibition momentarily overwhelmed by his rage.

Looking back now, he wished he just simply left, run away, _whatever, _as long as he didn't do what he did today.

Len sighed wearily, no use in mourning over a spilt glass. He'll just have to endure it, like he has done for his life. And it certainly wasn't going to be the last time, either.

* * *

xxXxx

* * *

'_Come on, where is that wanker?' _Rin thought furiously as she leaned back on the wall, her feet propped up on her desk, a frustrated sigh leaving her mouth as time dragged on for what seemed like eternity.

She felt vibration in her pocket, and withdrew her black and orange phone, flipping the screen open, revealing a text from the tealette who set a mere foot away from her. _What's up?_

Rolling her eyes, she punched in letters on her phone, before hitting the 'send' button, -_Fucking bored of this shit. What's he droning on about again?-_

_-Good question. What IS he talking about?-_

_-I thought you paid attention in class?-_

_-I don't, I'm just smart enough not to get caught.-_

Rin scowled at Miku, who only seemed to grin wider. Groaning at her friend's antic, she buried her head on the desk, desperately trying to will herself to sleep through the class and her witty friend. Tiredly she texted back, _-How long has it been since school started?-_

_-About 14 mins.-_

Suppressing a groan, Rin texted, almost dreading the answer, _-And how long do we have till school finishes?-_

The tealette looked at the blonde firebrand with amusement before she texted back, barely suppressing her laughter, _-About 5 hours and 46 minutes.-_

Rin groaned aloud, "Fuck…" Miku could only laugh at her friend's obvious distress.

* * *

xxXxx

* * *

While the younger ones were back in class, the purple-haired ronin made his way towards where the incident occurred. Rin pointedly told him where it was, saying it was hard to miss something so obvious. And she was right, but he didn't find it by looking – he found it by sensing the area where ki emanated from.

As he approached the site, he could see that the area was roped off, apparently in vain effort to keep the curious bystanders from approaching the site and get themselves hurt.

Gakupo snorted. Really? In a high school? Fat chance.

Shaking his head, he cautiously made his way to the demolished wall, taking note of the residual traces of ki that still lingered around the wall.

Gakupo Kamui was not an imitator; he was a genuine samurai, trained in the ways of Bushido since childhood, taking in the lessons to his heart. As an heir to one of the oldest family of samurai, Gakupo was trained to bear the burden of the welfare of his clan, as well as struggling to keep the knowledge of Bushido alive in an era where samurais were no longer needed.

He remained dedicated to his task, training from dawn to dusk, studying hard to rise above the expectations of his clan and his parents. To him, his clan and his family were the most important, his loyalty to them forever true, like a true warrior of ancient feudal era.

That's why when he was banished for a heinous crime he did not commit, he felt as if his world was breaking apart, seeing how his world revolved around the very people he swore his life and soul to protect and care for.

And they banished him without a second thought.

Maybe that was why he was able to read and interpret the faint ki that emanated from the wall. After all, betrayal gave birth to great anger that threatened to burn everything away, but hidden deep inside was great hurt, great sadness, lamenting over what was lost, grieving for something that could no longer be the same. In his case, he was a ronin, a masterless samurai, whose blade carried no meaning, who wandered aimlessly without a path, without purpose.

At least Gakupo had friends, no, a family who supported him, who was always there for him when things got tough, family to laugh and cry with, to go through good times and bad times with. Kaito was like another brother figure, somewhat goofy, but loyal to a fault. Meiko was a fun drunk, who could always make people laugh with her drunken antics. Luka, the mother hen of the group, who always made sure they were all clean, well-fed and taken care of, the type of person that always made sure to greet them back home so that they wouldn't come back to an empty home. Neru, Gumi, Miku and Rin, spunky, wild, rebellious but protective of their family, were like younger sisters Gakupo never had, but always wanted.

Looking back now, Gakupo was grateful for the turn of events, thankful that he was able to meet somewhat dysfunctional but extremely caring, family, whether or not they were related by blood. In the end, Gakupo wouldn't trade them for anything, they were very, very dear to him.

Len, however, was not so fortunate. His ki conveyed what he did not in words – his pain, his loneliness, his anger, his sadness. Gakupo didn't know who this Len was, but the ki he read told volumes. Just what kind of person was he, and what kind of life did he live for him to give off so much negative ki?

* * *

xxXxx

* * *

Neru Akita was in good mood. She received a small job that required her hacking skills, and was paid rather handsomely for her rather effortless deed. With some generous amount of cash in her purse, she knew some shopping was in order, vaguely remembering the handbag she once saw in the shopping department…

Humming a light tune, she looked around and observed her surroundings. No matter how many times she and her family came here, she could never get enough of the vibrant atmosphere of Shibuya district. There was so much to do, so much to see, almost too many things she wanted to buy, the shopping district was a proverbial heaven for many, herself included.

Of course, she wasn't sure whether people would clobber her to death or stare at her in awe when they found out that the wanted cyber criminal Ney Futapie was casually walking among them, as if the whole damn area belonged to her. She felt like laughing out loud.

After some time one happy Neru Akita walked out of a store, her object of desire tucked under her arm rather protectively, with a dreamy look on her face. She finally got the damn thing, after tracking down the designer item from store to store, until she finally nabbed it before anyone else could.

Like everything else, it was rather costly, but to her, the cost didn't matter, the fact was that she finally had it! It was finally hers! Finally!

She would've cackled rather maniacally and break out in a victory dance, but the idea of making herself look like an idiot in the middle of a very crowded area was a sure way of getting herself branded as a psycho. Nah, she'll just have to wait till she got back.

As she was waiting for her bus-ride home, at the edge of her peripheral vision she saw a sight that was familiar, yet foreign. The person who she and her family spoke of just last night, the guy who she saw on the roster yet never met in person.

Len Kagamine.

She was curious, why wasn't he at school? Not that she had much to say, she herself flunked school just to get her handbag. No, she was just curious as to see the guy who isolated himself from the world in a shopping district, of all places. What kind of business did he have in places like this?

Her question was answered when her gaze fell to several plastic bags he was carrying, bearing to logo of the supermarket not far. Groceries?

'_Why is he shopping alone?' _she thought, before she vaguely recalled reading how his adopted father, Leon Yamaha, travelled for work a lot and was rarely at home. Being surrounded by somewhat dysfunctional but fun and caring family, the concept of basically living alone was a foreign concept to her. _'Just what does he do in his house?'_

Curiosity took over, and she found herself following him, struggling to match his surprisingly fast pace. If she didn't know any better, she would've thought he was running as if in a great hurry, as if he was afraid and running away from something.

Frowning at the thought, she picked up her pace, ignoring the curious looks bystanders gave her. The blonde ignored them.

* * *

Nearly about an hour later, he slowed down, before he stopped at the entrance to a moderate-sized, two storey house in modern design. Neru took note of how close he lived to them. All this time, he was a neighbour, and they didn't even realise.

Lame.

Sighing, she turned back, and tried to walk back, when strong, hairy arms grabbed her shoulder and dragged her away. Her pulse racing, she screamed out loud, drawing the attention of few people that was in the area.

"HELP!" she yelled as loud as she could, while struggling to free herself from her assailants' tight vice-like grip. She may have been one of the Rebel Sisters, but _Rin _was the tough one, the one who knew how to fight, and the one who decked guys easily twice her size without so much a scratch. Neru Akita was no fighter, her areas of expertise revolved around computers and programming, not fists and knockouts. Looking at now, she wished she paid more attention to Rin's impromptu self-defence lessons.

The thugs dragged her deeper into an alleyway, pinning her arms behind her back, covering her mouth to silence her. She tried to kick out, aiming for the groins, though one of the thugs pinned her foot down by stamping on hers, hard.

She didn't have to be told as to what they were going to do to her, whether they killed her or not in the end didn't really matter when the horrors of the events that was soon to transpire would remain engraved in her mind for long time. She knew it was inevitable, and so did they. She just hoped that she wasn't awake to experience it. With that, she closed her eyes in defeat, forcefully willing herself to unconsciousness, whatever, just to escape living through this nightmare.

When she heard cries of outrage, she hesitantly cracked her eyes open, trying to see what happened. She was surprised to find two goons already on the ground, unmoving, with their arms bent at odd angles, lying at the feet of the boy she was silently stalking not too long ago.

Growling, the thugs pushed her roughly to the ground, flicked their switchblades open, and rushed at the lone blonde. Len Kagamine simply stood there, with an expressionless look on his face. When the thugs drew near, the blonde exploded in action.

As the first thug drew back his hand in an attempt to stab him, he sidestepped, before grabbing the thug's hand and threw him to the wall, a loud _crack _preceding the steady flow of blood from his mangled nose as they shattered under the impact against the brick wall. Ducking down from a horizontal swipe from the second thug, he threw rapid hooks before kick flipping him, propelling him several feet into the air, who collided with the third thug who was right behind him, the momentum throwing them both to the ground with such force it knocked the duo unconscious.

As the final standing goon rushed at him, he punched at the arm wielding the knife, making the thug drop his knife with a cry of pain. Without hesitation Len threw a high kick, the impact nearly breaking the thug's neck, knocking him out cold. Panting he stood in the centre, surrounded by unconscious would-be-rapists littered about in the ground.

Neru sat there in shock, her mind trying to process the turn of events. She was brought out of stupor as her saviour approached her, offering his hand in silence. Blushing, she shyly took his hand, noting how it was quite rough and calloused despite its outwardly soft appearance. As she stood up, he simply looked at her, before turning around and walking away, hands in his pockets.

"Wa, wait!" Neru rushed forward and grabbed his arms, not wanting her saviour to simply walk away without a word. This wasn't how she envisioned the scenario, her knight in shining armour sweeping her off her feet, proclaiming his eternal love and loyalty, sealing the deal with a kiss, and living their happily-ever-afters! That's what the movies said! This, this wasn't how she expected things to turn out, her silent hero just being that, silent, leaving without a word, not a single word of comfort, not even asking whether she was alright!

"You, you're Len, Len Kagamine, right?" Neru asked, her face still red, as Len turned around and met her gaze with his usual dull blue eyes. He said nothing, simply giving her a nod, before trying to leave. Neru only tightened her grip on his arm, however.

"Look, I just want to say thank you for saving me. I didn't know where you learned how to fight like that, but you totally rocked! It was such a disaster for me, and you came out of nowhere and fought for me, like a guardian angel! Where did you come from, anyway? Did you by any chance knew I was in danger, and came to get me? Ohmygosh!"

"….."

Neru was starting to feel a little annoyed, her saviour _still _haven't uttered a single syllabus! To Neru Akita, this wasn't how gentlemen treated ladies! She tried once more, "Okay look, I'm not sure where to go from here, but how about you take me out on a date? I mean, you saved me, so I need to repay you somehow, and well, how about it?" she beamed, hoping that this time, he would respond. And he did, just not the way she expected.

Len shook his head, before gently loosening her grip around his arm, and walked away, leaving one flabbergasted blonde behind. So this was his way, huh? Playing hard-to-get? Well, she knew it was a matter of time before she could get him to crack, and finally admit his feelings for her.

With that thought she walked back home, with a smug smirk on her face, blushing occasionally as her mind continued to be filled with images of her hero.

* * *

xxXxx

* * *

Len leaned against the training dummy, his bare torso drenched with sweat. Panting slightly he reached for the bottle of cool water and drained the content greedily, relishing the cool sensation as small trickles escaped and flowed down his lean, muscular frame. With a sigh he looked at the battered training dummy, the wooden structure slightly damaged and cracked after long period of punishment by barrage of fists and kicks.

Len knew that he needed to keep his strict training regime in check, as it was the only way of maintaining his wild, chaotic side. The side of him that was capable of destroying everything in its path, the side of him that he feared, the side that was physical manifestation of his long-buried past, the tortures, the pain, the loneliness, the sadness, the anger, everything. It wasn't another personality, rather it was just a darker side of him, an extension that once awoken, would threaten to wreak havoc regardless of consequences.

Wiping his brow, he stripped off his sweat-drenched gi, which was plain black with gold seams, and jumped into the shower, enjoying the rush of cold water.

After cleaning himself, he put on a pair of dark jeans, a sleeve-less shirt and a black hoodie over it. With this wallet in his pocket, he locked the door behind him as he walked to the supermarket, mentally checking off list of groceries to buy to fill the kitchen, as well as thinking about what to cook for dinner.

Len knew it was rather uncommon to find a high school student who could cook rather well, but considering his circumstances, it was either learn how to cook, or rely on fast foods and takeaways throughout his high school years. Still, he was glad that his foster father, Leon, was considerate enough to deposit quite a generous amount to his bank account on a weekly basis, at least he wouldn't have to starve or scavenge through dumpsters for food like he has done for years before. But then again, the stuff they gave him in the orphanage weren't even fit to be called food, so perhaps the dumpsters were better alternatives. Maybe.

He mentally sighed as he neared the bustling, crowded Shibuya district. He hated the crowded atmosphere, being surrounded by so many people made him tense up on reflex. His past experiences taught him to always maintain constant vigilance, as it was rather easy for an unknown assailant to slip a knife between his ribs from the sea of faceless, uncaring crowds. He still had the scar between the ribs on his left side, the blade barely missed the apex of his beating hearts. Of course, he woke up days later in the hospital, his torso heavily bandaged, with an enthusiastic doctor happily notifying him how they were able to patch him up after several bag's worth of blood transfusion, and chattering away at how lucky he was, since if the blade was aimed even a millimetre higher, Len wouldn't be sitting there, talking. In his enthusiasm, the doctor did not notice the look of disappointment flashing over the blonde's face, which quickly turned into his usual mask of indifference.

But that's a story for another time.

After making necessary purchases, he quickly walked away from the area to his home, desperate to get away from the crowded area far, far behind him. As he reached the front door, he let out a breath he didn't realise he was holding in. His hand was resting on the doorknob when he heard a feminine scream not far. Instinctively he turned towards the direction of the scream, where he could see the outline of a girl he vaguely recalled seeing before being dragged away by several larger men into an alleyway.

He thought about ignoring it, pretend that he didn't hear her desperate pleas, like other people who also walked away, their heads bowed down in shame. Why should he care, when no one came to help when _he _was the one screaming? He spent better part of his life trying to isolate himself from the world as much as possible, from the world that taught him nothing but pain and misery. Stepping away from the door and running to the scene would be doing the exact opposite of that. The list of people who hated him would only increase, and in the end, whatever his intentions were, things would never get better, only worse. No, it was better if he simply ignored it, ignore it and simply pretend nothing happened.

Except that he couldn't. He didn't know why, but he felt rather awful at the very thought of ignoring someone in distress, turning away from them when they called out for help in desperation. No, if he stepped away, he would be no better than the very people he despised and hated, the very people who made his life a living hell.

He had no love for people in general, but he knew, in his mind, that he did not want anyone to suffer when he had the power to change things for the better. He wouldn't, couldn't, let it happen.

With determination, he dropped his bags, and quickly sprinted towards the alleyway, hoping that he wasn't too late. He was sickened as the brutes tried to ravage their captive, and not wasting time, he struck them, quickly felling two without effort. The first two thugs went down by a fast chop to the neck. They didn't even see it coming.

The remaining thugs took out switchblades, and rushed at him. With ease and practised precision, he disarmed each and every one of them, making sure to inflict as much bodily harm as he could without losing control. As the last one went down, he walked toward the damsel in distress, noting that she was still dressed, indicating that his timely intervention was a success.

As he stood in front of the girl he extended his hand, the sudden feeling of déjà vu rushing through his mind. He hoped this girl didn't slap his hand away and instigate yet another fight, like Rin Kagamine did before.

He silently watched as the blonde girl shyly took his hand, her face surprisingly red, much akin to how Rin was back then. Was she sick too? What was it with them, anyway? It's not like he had any contagious disease on him…

He noted how soft her hands were, which wasn't all that surprising – as far as he knew about members of the fairer sex, they had softer, smoother skin, perhaps something to do with skin care if he remembered correctly. As she stood up, he looked at her strange hairdo. If he remembered correctly, the only girls who had such wild, outrageous hairstyle were the rebel girls, the girls who never gave a fuck for, well, anything and everything to do with school rules. Except Rin, who didn't have her hair done in ridiculously long pigtails, like certain bubbly tealette in his class. Not that Rin needed to – she gave off this 'bad chick' vibe, making people step away from her in fear, regardless of age. Her entourage weren't washouts, either, their title as 'Biker Rebel Girls', 'Rebel Sisters' weren't for nothing.

Which was why he was rather weary, what was she going to do? The whole reason he flunked the school today was to get away from the possible rumors Rin might've spread about him, only to land himself in another mess. Seemed like whatever he tried to do, it always ended up with him digging his grave deeper and deeper. He briefly wondered when he would finally muck up and hammer the proverbial last nail in his coffin.

After mulling it over quickly, he decided to simply leave, seeing how there wasn't much he could do, it wasn't like he would kill her to silence her, which would kind of defeat the whole purpose of him going against his own rules to save her, that, and he wasn't a killer.

He turned around and tried to leave, when the blonde girl grabbed his arm, frantically saying, "Wa, wait!"

Still red-faced, the girl asked, "You, you're Len, Len Kagamine, right?" Len chose not to say anything, seeing how he didn't know what to say, and truth be told, didn't feel like saying anything either. What was there for him to say? He simply wanted to save her, not necessarily for _her _wellbeing but rather because he knew it was the right thing to do. He saved her, she was safe, he went his way, she went hers, and everyone was happy.

Sadly, she was rather persistent, "Look, I just want to say thank you for saving me. I didn't know where you learned how to fight like that, but you totally rocked! It was such a disaster for me, and you came out of nowhere and fought for me, like a guardian angel! Where did you come from, anyway? Did you by any chance knew I was in danger, and came to get me? Ohmygosh!"

Len winced a little as the pressure around his arm increased, trying not to look desperate to get away from the clingy girl. Honestly, was peace and quiet a bit too much to ask for? Len inwardly sighed, with a twinge of regret of his decision to stick out his neck for some stranger. He tried to remain silent, hoping that she just got annoyed and walked away, leaving him with his much desired peace and quiet, "…."

Unfortunately, she seemed quite determined to get a response from him, "Okay look, I'm not sure where to go from here, but how about you take me out on a date? I mean, you saved me, so I need to repay you somehow, and well, how about it?"

The word 'date' threw him off, though he managed to not let the surprise show on his face. Him, on a date, with a girl? Len Kagamine, the social outcast, going out with a girl? With one of the Rebel Sisters? Really?

Len didn't know why, but he started to feel rather uncomfortable, not really knowing why. This was a bit too much for him, him who never really had anyone to call a friend, suddenly getting a date? This was just unbelievable, so much so that he thought she was simply joking, or maybe even taking pity on him. Could that have been it, a pity date? After all, who would ever want to go out with someone like himself? Quiet, socially awkward, what was there to say anything good about himself?

'_I, I can't. I just can't.' _Len thought, shaking his head slightly before he turned around, missing the surprised look on her face. When her grip on his arm loosened he gently pried her fingers off, and this time for real walked away, torrents of emotions swirling in his mind. Whatever he had in mind, _this _wasn't how he planned on spending his day.

* * *

xxXxx

* * *

"We're home!" Miku announced with her ever-so-happy voice as she skipped lightly through the door, followed by one tired Rin Kagamine, who looked ready to pass out at any moment. Taking pity on the blonde, Luka gently hoisted her pseudo-daughter and gently laid her on the couch, before turning to address the energetic tealette who stood behind her, an amused expression on her face as she saw her blonde sister-in-all-but-blood's rather pitiful state.

Luka sighed, "Did something happen?"

Her answer was a small tired groan from the fatigued blonde, while Miku laughed at her distress, before answering, "Rinny and school, well you know how well _that _turns out in the end. I'm surprised she didn't kill anyone yet, considering we had more classes than usual."

"Fucking hate school days…" Rin grumbled tiredly. Rin simply nodded when Luka gently scolded her for cussing. Everyone in the family knew Rin swore the most anyway, despite being one of the youngest.

"Oh, and her boyfriend did a rain-check on their date today." Miku chirped, before she got a pillow thrown to her face by Rin, who cried out, "Len Kagamine is NOT my boyfriend! Fucking hell, Miku!"

"My, you have a boyfriend already? Why didn't I hear of this? What's he like? Did you two kiss and hold hands yet? How long have the two of you been together?" Luka asked rapidly in her I'm-so-happy-for-you voice.

Rin groaned, glaring at the tealette who was openly laughing at her. This was going to be a long day. She just knew it.

* * *

Rin Kagamine was lying in her bed, basked in moonlight through the open curtain. With a sigh she snuggled deeper into her plush soft bed, hugging her large orange plushie tightly. Her eyes drooped, feeling rather drowsy, and felt sleep slowly covering her, before being rudely awoken by sharp knocks on her door.

Rin growled out, "Who the fuck is it?"

"It's me." Neru answered, before she silently opened the door and walked in, clad in her yellow PJ's.

"Neru, do you realise what _time _it is? It's fucking one A.M. in the morning, and you fucking interrupted my sleep. What do you want?" Rin hissed, clearly pissed (A/N: hey, that rhymed!).

"I just wanted to talk." Neru answered, with a dreamy, far-away look on her face.

Rin felt like facepalming, "Couldn't it wait till like, I don't know, sometime much later today, sometime _other _than fucking early in the morning when _everyone's _supposed to be _asleep?_"

"It's just, I _need _to talk to someone about this. It's _reeeaaaalllly _important. Please?" Neru pleaded silently, to which Rin just sighed in agitation. Knowing Neru she wouldn't leave her be until she finally got whatever was bothering her off her chest. Suppressing the urge to deck the girl, the irate blonde growled, "Well, whatever it is, spit it out, and make it quick. I don't have all day, or morning."

Neru pouted, before the dreamy look returned, something which Rin found somewhat disturbing and somewhat… strange. It wasn't like Neru to have such a look on her face, what happened to her that made her look like… well, this? "Dude, what have you been smoking today?"

"It's about Len, Len Kagamine." Neru said, ignoring the gibe. She then proceeded to explain what happened earlier, how she was assaulted and nearly raped, if it wasn't for Len's timely intervention and wiping the floor with the big thugs and saving her from their clutches. She then explained how he didn't respond back when she talked, even flat out refusing her offer of accompanying her as her date.

Rin simply stared at Neru, trying to process what she heard. "So you're saying that Len saved you from them, flat out ignored you and outright rejected your advances?"

"That's not very nice, Rin. He's like, a quiet hero, someone shrouded in mystery. I didn't expect him to say much, but then again, I didn't expect him to be much of a hard-to-get. Whatever, soon I'll find a way for him to notice me, and from there on…" Neru huffed, before bursting in girlish giggles, her face rather crimson.

Rin rolled her eyes, yeah, she didn't expect Neru to be much of a Cinderella person either, waiting for her prince on his majestic steed and all that fairy tale crap only kids and naive idiots believed in. Honestly, didn't Neru still get out of her my-little-pony phase long time ago? Speaking of which, she fondly remembered the day she microwaved her Barbie doll she got on her 6th birthday. The mess, then chaos that ensued was one event that she would never forget, which ended up with several broken windows, doors blown off their hinges and the dining table somehow ending up on the roof, all courtesy of Rin Kagamine. And she was six years old. Good times, good times…

"Rin, are you listening to me?" Neru harrumphed, as she noticed Rin had a dazed look on her face, seemingly not aware of her surroundings. She jerked awake, before replying, "Yeah, I heard you. The thing is, though, so what?"

Neru wailed, "I mean, don't you think he and I are destined for one another? I'm the damsel in distress, and he is the prince, and we're going to live happily-ever-after! I mean, it's flawless, it's almost like I was destined to meet him!"

Rin sighed in exasperation. "Look, Neru, I'm really tired, and frankly, I don't really give a fuck right now. How about we continue this tomorrow, huh? Maybe then you can actually wake up from your delusions and face the reality?" She wasn't really sure, but judging from what Neru told her, seemed like her 'saviour' just rejected her, though whether Neru noticed it or not was another question. Not that she was interested, why would she? It was only Len Kagamine, right? The loner, the introvert, the guy who shared a same surname, and looked scarily like her, only more masculine.

He was also the guy who punched through a concrete wall, bare-handed, without even a scratch.

Speaking of which, she still didn't get back at him for that incident. She refused to believe she lost, since, technically, she wasn't down for the count. She didn't accept Len's half-assed apology on the fly as confirmation of her victory or his utter defeat – no, she had a score to settle, and she was going to do it her way, what she did best, by knockouts.

Almost kicking her chatty sister-figure out her door, she sunk back into her soft bed, this time trying her hardest to fall asleep. Damn whoever walks through the door and disturbs her sleep one more time – whoever was thick enough to do so would end up on an extensive care in the hospital ward.

* * *

**A/N: Whew, that was the longest I've ever written - 16 pages! Still, it's all good fun for me, so nothing bad there. **

**Thanks to readers who reviewed and favourited this story! Your supports are much appreciated. **

**Today marked the beginning of my 3 month-long Summer holiday, so currently, after studying so hard for so long, suddenly having a lot of free time kinda threw me off. Since I can't deal well with heat, it's not like I can spend long time outdoors, under intense heat which can potentially cause me to meltdown, either. In any case, a long soak in a tub full of ice is in order, and probably a short nap in the fridge? Hmm, choices, choices...**

**Anyways, as usual, rate and review!**

**Ja ne!**


	3. The Beginning of Love and Jealousy

**Chapter Three – The beginning of Love and Jealousy**

**Here's the third chapter of _Solitude_. Uh, yeah, um, enjoy?**

* * *

"Goddamnit, hate school…" Rin grumbled, tiredly wiping her face as she sat on her chair, feet up on the table, with a glare fixed on the teacher standing in front of the whiteboard, his back on the students, as he wrote down figures and numbers that she just _couldn't _process.

She resisted the urge to just stand up and break something, trash the classrooms and set the whole damn building on fire, while she got out her marshmallows and cheer as the school, along with its inhabitants, burned to the ground. Honestly, just whose brilliant idea was it to make something as shitty as school, and why, oh why in the name of all things unholy did they have to make these torturous sessions 6 hours a day, 5 days a week?

Groaning she laid her head on her desk, the cool sensation of wood on her warm cheek. As she did so, her gaze fixed on the empty seat several feet away, the second furthest desk from the front of the class (hers was on the very back). When asked mere days ago, she wouldn't have even known there was a desk there, let alone its occupant. Now, she was silently waiting for that person to arrive, not that she was going to tell anyone.

Speaking of which, she realised that she wasn't the one anticipating his arrival, the occasional glances Neru sent to the empty desk by the window told Rin that she, too, was aware of his absence, and furthermore, hoping to see him, no doubt.

Rin sighed, feeling rather annoyed at the hacker's antics. Even now she _still _went on about his 'acts of heroism', down to the point where even Luka herself got fed up and told her to kindly shut it, and she was the most patient one of the family.

Neru, of course, didn't let her family's irritation affect her – if anything she was starting to get worse, degrading from simple awe to downright obsession. Len was all she talked about nowadays, always Len this and Len that. How silky his hair looked, how gorgeous looking he was and whatnot. And all in a matter of few days, too. Looking at how her hacker sister was like, Rin felt almost sorry for Len, imagining the horror he would have to face the day he came back.

Looking now, she noted how the class in general didn't even seem to realise that they were one classmate short – heck, were they even aware that he was their classmate? Was Len really that antisocial, down to the point where even the very people he shared classes with didn't even seem to realise his lack of presence?

Which then led her to think just why on earth that she was one of the few who actually bothered to care, while many others didn't. Why their eyes simply glazed over the empty desk as if it wasn't even there, while her eyes were focused on the unoccupied chair, was beyond her. Not that she had any reason to even care, all she wanted to do was just casually toss a word or two of thanks for saving her fangirl of a sister from being nearly raped, and then finally knock him out, regaining her honour and pride as a guy-beater. Not that she enjoyed the title.

With a loud yawn she buried her head in her arms, eyes closing as sleep creeped up on her. She welcomed it with open arms, desperate for anything, _anything, _to escape from this dreadful prison called school, with the classes being torture sessions, using tools called boredom. She didn't even know what class she was sitting in, what was it again? History? Physics? Biology?

"Alright, so what's the answer on the board, Kagamine?" the teacher asked, breaking her out of her sleepy daze. In her stupor, all she could manage was, "Whazza?"

The teacher sighed, while the class discreetly snickered at her half-closed eyelids, with thin line of drool running down her chin. Rin falling asleep in class was nothing new – getting her to stay focused during class was nothing short of lost cause, as well as a miracle. It was as if she had a switch built into her head, an automatic command that self-initiated 'hibernation mode' during school.

That being said, the teacher knew better than to continue persisting the blonde tomboy – he was well aware of how easily she combusted, and he has once been on the receiving end of her ire, along with all other staff who had the misfortune of blowing her fuse. The results weren't pretty. Even now, he still didn't know what Rin did to make some teachers flinch whenever she was in their class, with one being reduced to nothing more than a sobbing heap.

"Alright, then. The other Kagamine then." The teacher said, turning around to face the whiteboard again. Rin was about to say that Len hasn't been in school for few days, until a quiet voice replied, "The first reaction is much slower than the second reaction, hence it is a rate-determining step."

Rin looked up in surprise, her eyes snapping on to the desk that was unoccupied mere seconds ago. Now, a similar looking blonde was sitting on it, looking as if nothing out of the ordinary, as if he was sitting there since the beginning.

'_How?' _Rin thought, stunned at Len's unexpected presence. He wasn't there before, how could he have suddenly appeared, as if out of thin air, in mere seconds? It wasn't as if he teleported or anything, that was impossible. Her eyes snapped on to the window right beside his desk. Could it be…?

She then noticed just how… _tired _Len looked, dark bags under his eyes, his blonde hair messier than usual, and his eyes, they weren't simply dull, like they usually were. Now, they looked so dead, haunted, as if all trace of life has been snuffed out, leaving behind cold, unmoving shell. His skin looked unusually pale, painfully contrasting with the brown and green painted around the class. The way how his shoulders were slumped as if he was bearing a great burden, with his frame slightly shivering as if in cold also did not go unnoticed, to Rin at least.

She ripped out a page from her blank, unopened notepad, and furiously scribbled with her orange pen, before she scrunched it up and tossed it at Len, who caught it deftly, without even looking. Silently he unfurled the paper, taking a brief moment to read the message, before meeting Rin's gaze and gave a slight nod. Satisfied, Rin buried her head in her arms again, a discreet smile on her face as she waited for the class to finish.

* * *

xxXxx

* * *

It has been a while since he overslept. Due to his nightmares his nightly reprieve were kept short to mere hours instead of usual 8-to-9 hours of sleep. He was up even before the sun could rise, the stars and the moonlight greeting him, instead.

Since he did not remember the last time when he had full, nightmare-free night's worth of sleep, he decided for once, he'd like to know what dreamless nights felt like. After all, first time for everything, right?

With the packet of sleeping pills on his bedstand, he gulped few pills down, quickly downing a glass of water before burrowing under his thick, warm blankets, with small hope swelling inside him. Hopefully, even for one night, he'll be able to sleep through the night, wake up in the morning sun rather than waking up screaming in pain.

Fate, however, was not so kind.

The prescription he was given was for a brand of sleeping pills with moderate to strong levels of dosage. After mustering up enough courage to face the task, he then proceeded to explain, in simplest terms, his sleeping habits, or lack thereof. The clerk looked at him rather dubiously, not convinced at Len's explanation, but decided to let it slide and gave him the appropriate drug.

_"Now, I gotta warn you, this prescription is timed – in other words, each of these pills will knock you out for about 8 hours, no more, no less. In other words, within that 8-hour period you won't be going anywhere. So far there has been no reports of any side-effects regarding the usage of this drug, but even so, do take caution when you use them."_

The clerk was right, for 8 hours Len slept, 4 or 5 hours longer than how long he usually slept. During that 8 hours of sleep, his body was in a resting state.

His mind, however, was not.

He always had a hunch that his nightmares weren't something that could simply be cured by medications, but he did hope that they could alleviate his problems, if only a little.

Now he could see that his hopes were in vain. His mind was restless, plagued with nightmares with even greater intensity than before, the dream felt more realistic, the blows, the pain, the scars, they all felt even more real than ever before. He wasn't sure whether he was screaming in his mind or really screaming, and for a moment he was afraid of waking up to find his bed drenched in blood. His blood.

All that torture, for 8 long, long hours. Twice, if not more, than how much he endured every night.

He wasn't sure when he woke up, the dream felt so real, that he was momentarily lost as to whether he was waking up from his dream, or falling into one. Either way, the first thing he did was to rush to the loo, re-emerging few minutes later looking deathly pale, with taste of bile in his mouth. He slumped against the wall, his breath ragged, his whole body trembling uncontrollably. He buried his head in his hands, inhaling deep breaths and taking a moment to reconnect to what he deemed as true reality.

'_It's a dream, it's a dream, it's only a dream…' _Len thought, trying in vain to reassure himself, because, really, they weren't just dreams. They were his past, his struggles, his pain.

And he was re-living through it all, re-experiencing the past, over, and over again.

His past was haunting him, and had him in a tight grip, unwilling to let him escape its clutches. Slowly, but surely, they were dragging him down to an infinite abyss, where only endless darkness awaited.

Len was torn between going to school and staying at home. On one hand, he wasn't ready to face the students, and having to possibly deal with rumors floating about him on top of the nightmares would be too much for him to handle before he broke down. On the other hand, he didn't really want to stay at home any longer than he needed to, even at his home he still felt uneasy and lonely, the cold, empty house devoid of living, except maybe himself. Well, kind of. He had a beating heart, he had blood pulsing in his veins, but he could never feel them. They just felt so dull, lifeless, much like his very existence was, just that, lifeless, mere existence. Like a ghost.

Living on the outside, but more or less dead on the inside. That's what he was.

He sighed, and got dressed quickly, not wanting to waste time any more than he did. Whatever happened, he reasoned, things were already bad enough that any more wouldn't really make much difference, anyway.

Maybe, just maybe, he'd be lucky enough to get hit by a car on his way to school. Who knows?

* * *

As he neared the school, he realised that he had to enter the school undetected, away from the watchful eyes of the gatekeeper, who was currently occupied with a book in his hand.

Slowly he climbed a tall tree adjacent to the school fence, before flipping over the tree branch and landing softly on the school grounds. Without hesitating he quickly ran behind a school block, and looked up to the window on the far corner of the school building, relieved to find it open.

Strapping his bag tightly behind his back, he deftly ran up the wall, grabbing on to loose crack between the bricks, and hoisted himself up, before reaching for another odd cracks here and there. He didn't really want to bring attention to himself by knocking on the door at the front of the class – he would be a laughing stock, no doubt. To prevent that, he utilised his other, rather unorthodox means of entrance. He just had to make sure no one saw him, after all, it was highly unusual, insane, even, to see a student climbing three-storey building without the aid of climbing gears.

Such feat was a near impossibility for majority of student population, with few that technically _could _do it needing excess gears to do so. For someone like Len, who usually hopped from roof to roof rather than walking on the ground like normal people, this wasn't much a task.

He was lucky that the window was open, and that his seat was the one beside it. He knew that hardly anyone would ever notice his entrance – he doubted anyone knew of his absence, much less him being in the same class. Jump through the window, sit on the chair, and pretend nothing happened, and no one would be the wiser.

As he sat down, he found that the class was laughing, at who Len did not know, hoping that their laughter weren't directed at him. One cursory look at the board filled with formulas and diagrams told him that he missed most of the chemistry class, not that he minded, having already read ahead of the subjects. Sleep deprivation by nightmares had its benefits, he mused.

When his name was called out, he didn't need to think on his reply, "The first reaction is much slower than the second reaction, hence it is a rate-determining step."

He was surprised when Rin, who had her head buried in her arms on her desk, suddenly looked up and met his gaze, surprise written over her face. He also noted similar action mirrored by another blonde he vaguely recalled saving before. The two were the only ones who looked at him out of the entire class. Unlike others, they seemed like they _noticed _he was gone, and suddenly appeared. He saw how Rin's eyes briefly flicker to the open window behind him, before settling back on him, scrutinising, well, _him, _as a whole.

Len felt uncomfortable, heck, anyone certainly would if they were stared at as if they were some sort of exhibit. Even if he was being stared at by an attractive-looking girl, a _very _attractive looking girl.

Even though he was a social recluse, he still learned to appreciate the 'features' of fairer sex. When it came down to it, he was a guy, after all. But of course, he knew it was rather rude and un-gentlemanly to make girls uncomfortable by staring at them; that, and his survival instincts usually kicked in to remind him to always put his guard up – after all, even the most beautiful roses had thorns, didn't they?

He was brought out of his musing when his keen hearing picked up a small sound of a projectile heading his way. Not bothering to turn and look, he raised his hand and deftly caught it, identifying as a scrunched up ball of paper. Curious, he unfurled it, revealing scrawled message in orange ink.

_-Meet me under the cherry tree after class. You'll know where.-_

Len inwardly sighed, his mind gears turning as he contemplated possible scenarios, trying to see if there were any underlying meanings or threats. Finding none, he simply decided to go with the flow, and nodded to Rin, getting one in return. With that he waited for the class to finish, part of him dreading the upcoming conversation, and – strangely enough – part of him looking forward to the events that were soon to transpire.

* * *

As usual, the moment the bell signifying the end of a class rang, she bolted out of her seat and sprinted out the door as if her life depended on it. Considering the natural enmity she had for school (and to education in general), such statements weren't far off the mark.

Of course, in her haste, she didn't see Len casually hopping through the window and jump down three floors, landing in a graceful flip before he, too, made his way to the cherry tree in the far corner of the school grounds. It was a rather beautiful tree, white cherry blossoms fluttering in the Spring wind was quite a sight to behold. That, and its geographical advantage was a bonus, since it was a rather secluded spot, meaning Len could simply relax under its shade in peace. Perhaps that was why she chose that very spot as their area. How she knew he knew was a mystery in itself, one that he would contemplate on preferably later, after the upcoming conversation, at least.

* * *

xxXxx

* * *

As Rin neared the tree, she was somewhat frustrated and amazed at the fact that Len was already there, sitting with his back against the tree. The sound of grass rustling under her feet alerted Len of her presence, and he looked at her questioningly.

Taking this as her cue, she started, "I heard that you saved Neru from those bastards few days ago." As Len nodded, she hesitated, her voice quivering a little. "I, I just wanted to say, uh, th, thanks, uh, you know, for saving her. If, if it wasn't for you, then, uh, she'd be in for some deep shit, and that would, you know, really suck."

She sighed inwardly, feeling rather pathetic. She could hurl insults left and right without a second thought. She could throw punches and kicks and take down guys the size of mini-trolls. And yet, when it came down to mushy stuff like thanking someone, she was reduced to a stuttering, quivering mess. Well, it wasn't as if it was her fault, Rin Kagamine just didn't do mushy stuff. She'd much rather beat something, or someone, up and down the street. And roll them over flat with her roadroller she stashed in her garage.

"So, uh, yeah, that's what I wanted to say." She continued, her gaze suddenly finding interest at the blades of grass beneath her shoes. She hesitantly looked up when Len quietly replied, "A, ah, okay then."

It was an awkward moment for the two, both refusing to make eye contacts, fidgeting as they secretly wanted to do, say whatever to break the awkward tension. Rin decided to take the bold step, "A, anyways, we still haven't settled our scores yet. Last time was, well… last time, and I'll let you off the hook this once. But next time we meet, we decide the winner, and I'm gonna kick your ass, Kagamine!"

Len looked at her wordlessly, though she could see faint traces of a smile on his face. For reasons unknown she felt her grin widen at this, which prompted Len's smile to grow a little bigger. With a nod, she turned and walked away, strangely feeling a little light-headed.

* * *

xxXxx

* * *

Neru Akita emerged from the bush she was hiding within, a thoughtful look on her face as she digested what little she heard and saw. She heard her name being mentioned, followed by Rin thanking Len for saving her. Neru snorted at this, why Rin ever bothered to go through such length to thank someone, especially to a boy, even! Rin never did anything like this before, so why did she even bother?

She was relieved to find nothing drastic happened - it wouldn't do for Rin to steal Len's first kiss, as it was her's to claim. No objection whatsoever, that was how things were meant to be for her. She did frown a little when she saw faint smile lingering on her hero's lips, whatever sweet lies Rin whispered into his ears must've affected and corrupted his pure, innocent soul! That harlot!

She wanted, no, _needed, _to cleanse her hero from whatever Rin pulled on him. Len Kagamine was her hero, her man, and hers alone! She wouldn't allow any girl to take him from her, she'd be damned before she let a stray wanton snatch her man! Even if it was her supposed sister-like figure.

'_I won't allow anyone, ANYONE, to take him from me! I would die before I let that happen! On my life, so be it!' _Neru viciously thought, not considering the binding weight behind her oath.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for the (relatively) short chapter - it's been a while since I last hit the gym, and suddenly jumping off into intense exercise regime... well, let me just say, it was nothing short of a miracle when I finally managed to drag my sorry butt all the way home. My arms were (and even now) still shaking as I finished this. I'm currently lying on my bed, since getting up and walking about hurts like hell. **

**Well, at the very least, I learnt what _not _to do the next time. Sucks that I had to learn it the hard way...**

**Anyways, as usual, thanks for the supports, since without your positive reviews, I probably wouldn't even be here. **

**On that note, Rate and Review!**

**Ja ne! **


	4. When Our Hands Met

**Chapter Four – When Our Hands Met**

**Here's chapter four to 'Solitude'. What else can I say, except 'enjoy!'?**

* * *

It's been two _long _months for one distressed blonde, she mused as she fidgeted with her one-sided long pigtail. Two months, yet she barely made a progress regarding snaring the heart of her shy blonde saviour.

Neru sighed in frustration, it seemed like whatever she did to get _him _to notice her were in vain; the gifts and the letters she placed in his locker always ended up back on her locker, subtle hints and gestures like pressing his arms on her chest didn't evoke the responses she wanted, even wearing shorter skirts and smaller shirts to get his attention failed, his gaze merely passing over her as if she wasn't even there.

In layman's terms, whatever she did, nothing worked. Not a damn thing happened, him taking her hand and kissing her senseless, taking her out on numerous dates, the candlelit dinners, all her fantasies were slipping away with each passing day, and her anxiety only grew bigger and bigger.

She was at her wit's end, and things were going downhill for her. At this rate, she would certainly lose Len, and that would mean whatever chance she had of snagging him would crash and burn right before her eyes, taking her sliver of hope with it.

Desperate, she turned to her 'accomplice', and asked, "Damn it, I'm outta ideas, Tei. What do I do now?"

The silverette in question looked up, somewhat ominous smile rested on her lips, her burgundy orbs twinkling in amusement. "Hmm, I dunno, maybe pay him to go on a date with you?"

Neru looked at her in shock, before shaking her head in disbelief. This _was _Tei she was dealing with, after all. Normality was a foreign concept to the girl, which explained her rather… _unusual _areas of interests. She wasn't quick to judge, but honestly, anyone who enjoys watching people gutted like a fish and spilling their innards, and laughs at people getting their _freaking heads_ bitten off, did have questionable mentality. Or sanity.

Her odd fetishes for blood, gore and violence weren't really secrets, seeing how Tei Sukone did not seem to care whatever her classmates thought of her. Her psychotic grins, and the occasional sharp knives she carried in her bag weren't really helping in making the best first impressions, either. After all this, it really wasn't a question as to why the general student populace kept their distance from the silver-haired girl, it was as if she could potentially cause a garden full of flowers to wilt and die by simply _being there._ Death and decay, some used to say.

If she had to be honest, Neru didn't really know Tei well, having been part of the crowd that actively avoided her like a plague. Now, she was basically pouring out her soul to the red-eyed goth, confessing her not-so-secret desires to her. Not particularly because she wanted to talk to Tei, rather she was the only one who was actually willing to listen.

Her incessant rants about her hero left even her sisters annoyed to no end, Rin going so far as to 'politely' tell her to stop talking, which in her term basically meant, 'Shut the fuck up!'

At first, Tei didn't really listen much either, it wasn't until she brought up the time when she eavesdropped on Len and Rin's meeting that elicited a response from the silver-haired goth. Neru wasn't sure why, but whenever she mentioned Rin and Len, something flickered in Tei's deep-red eyes, though what they were she couldn't quite place.

"Uh, hello? Earth to Neru? What'cha thinking so hard there? Too much thinking is bad for your brains, you know."

"Hu, huh? Oh, right. Sorry, kinda dozed off a little, haha…." Neru let out a nervous laugh, scratching her neck in embarrassment.

"Anyways, if paying him doesn't work, I guess you could threaten him a little, you know, knife to the throat and all that."

"Tei, that's a bit too much, don't you reckon?" Neru asked, a little nervous and a bit disturbed at the crazy look sported on Tei's face. She asked herself just what she was doing with someone with unstable mental state.

Tei continued as if she hadn't heard her, "Of course, if nothing works, I guess you could… _force _the issue a little. If words and actions don't get into his thick skull, then get it into his system, I say."

Neru looked horrified at the small bottle clutched in Tei's hands. "Tei, is that…?"

Tei smiled, the kind that could cause flowers or whatever was beauty personified to wilt and decay, "If you never heard of what date-rape is, I feel sorry for you, Neru-chan."

Neru shook her head, "Of course I know what it is, and before you say anything, I won't."

"Oh? Why not? You want him, _badly _at that too, don't you?"

Neru hesitated, "I, I do, it's just…"

Tei frowned, "Just what? Give him the damn drug, take him into some room with a lock, and let him ravage you senseless like you always wanted. It's _that _simple."

Neru sighed, "I, I want him to _love _me, go on romantic dates, hold hands and kiss, get married and live happily ever after. _That's _what I wanted, not this!"

Before Tei could open her mouth to retort, the bell tolled, signalling the end of the school. Neru visibly paled at the sound, her form suddenly tense, fists clenched tight on her thighs. Taking notice of this Tei stood up and patted her on the back soothingly, "It's okay, just keep your cool, and ask him out. If he says yes, then you can tell me later. If not, then well…" she took out the drug bottle and placed it in Neru's hands, "…then you can always resort to this."

Neru shook her head again, not trusting herself to speak. She placed the bottle on the desk and stood up, her knee trembling in nervousness. This was the first time she was going to confess, and even though she was afraid of facing rejection – which was a likely possibility – her fantasies of 'happily-ever-afters' were more than enough for her to brave the consequences.

She stood up straighter, determination blazing in her gaze. Taking deep breaths to steady her frantically beating heart, she calmly asked, "Tei, could you come with me? I'd really like it if you were there to support me."

"Of course, anything for a friend." Tei said, the mysterious smile back on her face. With that, she linked her arms with Neru's, and walked to find her blonde prince.

* * *

xxXxx

* * *

Len hobbled all the way from his secret tree to his locker, drawing some strange looks from students nearby, though he was far too tired to care. It's been another day of sparring between him and the blonde spitfire, Rin Kagamine. Each sparring sessions lasted only a short while, the longest being a whole hour. In the end, though, regardless of how long it took, it always ended up with the duo panting and sweating profusely, their whole body aching sore.

Leaning back on his locker to catch his breath, he recalled the past events, how it all started on that fateful day, two months ago, under the cherry tree where Rin stuttered out a hasty 'thank you' before proclaiming challenges the very next day. Though he didn't really want to, part of him couldn't help but be eager for her challenges, the warrior inside him cried out for some action.

Ever since then, the two would meet, exchange some blows, before laying on their backs under the shade, relaxing and recuperating their sore bodies. During then, the two talked, albeit rather awkwardly at first. Unsurprisingly, the first _real, two-way _conversation they had was about their styles. Rin stood tall and proud as she announced her status as black belt 5th dan at Aikido, the style taught by her father when she was young, with some modifications to suit her needs. She didn't hesitate about recounting her past fights, some which she admitted – with her face taking on a deep shade of red – she threw the first punch. Despite her numerous beatdowns and knockouts, she told him that she didn't fight for enjoyment – most of the time it was to protect herself and her sisters, or some weak, helpless victims against brutish thugs.

In particular, one of her memorable fights involved taking on a gang after they kidnapped Neru, whom she, along with her other Rebel Sisters (apparently Rin's sisters too, knew how to fight, though not up to Rin's level) fought tooth and nail to rescue her, storming through the gang's flat with fists and temper raised. In the end, they safely retrieved their kidnapped sister, while the defeated gangsters were carted off to jail.

Len remembered how flabbergasted Rin looked when he told her that he didn't know which styles he used, the use of plural picked up by Rin. He told her that he sneaked into various dojo's, watched and simply mimicked the movements. When she asked him why he didn't just simply sign up for one, he looked away, before quietly responding that simply, he was too poor. Rin was oddly silent after that, with what seemed like sympathetic look on her eyes.

From there on the conversations turned into mundane things, such as favourite colours, food, hobbies, likes and dislikes, things that Len could answer without having to watch his steps for proverbial landmines. Harmless questions that could be responded with harmless answers. As long as he could keep his past a secret, he found no reason why he should shy away from someone who seemed to notice him and actually _liked _hanging out with him.

There was another thing, something that really made Len rather happy – ever since the meeting two months ago, the nightmares began to die down a little, down to the point where he could sleep a little longer than he normally did. This wasn't to say that the nightmares ceased; rather they didn't haunt him as much as they did before, and he was thankful for it.

And it was all thanks to Rin.

Rin. Rin. _Rin. _

Breaking out of his musings, he reached for the key to his locker, before walking back to his usual empty house. At least, that was the plan, if the damn key was there, which wasn't. Groaning, he realised that it must've fell out of his pocket during the intense sparring session he had with Rin. He must've forgotten all about it, which was understandable. Heck, in their adrenaline-fuelled state, it was a struggle to even remember they were supposed to be in class, or the fact that they were in school.

He _really _didn't feel like walking all the way to the cherry tree – dragging himself all the way here had been a herculean task, there was no way he could do it the second time. Now seemed like a good time to bang his head on the wall for the heck of it, if only the quiet voice behind him didn't stop him there and then, "Uh, h, hello?"

Len didn't really have to turn around to identify the owner of the voice. Since the last two months, he was well familiar with two distinct voices, down to the point where he could identify them with his eyes closed.

One of them was Rin's. The other…

Inwardly sighing, he turned around, not surprised to find the sight of familiar blonde with her signature one-side ponytail standing in front of him, though he was a bit taken aback at the silver-haired girl standing behind her, with a scrutinizing gaze. Len felt rather disturbed under her gaze, there was just something that set him off the edge about the way how she looked at him…

Briefly, he wondered what she was here for. For the past two months, she behaved rather oddly, clinging on to him and whatnot. One time she grabbed his arm, and placed on her chest, a gesture which really startled him. He didn't understand why she was acting so – always hovering around him like a satellite, following him around. Was she trying to dig some dirt on him? Follow him around to catch him off guard?

"Ah, um, well, I, uh, was just wondering, if you'd, um, you know…" Neru stuttered, her face a fiery shade of red, looking at anywhere but him.

Len remained silent, not trusting himself to speak. Neru took a deep breath, before looking up, meeting his gaze, and said, "P, please, would you be my boyfriend?"

Whatever he had in mind, _this _certainly wasn't it. He was shocked beyond words, and a little happy, if he had to admit, that a girl was asking him out. A girl! For someone who was practically invisible to members of opposite sex, this was like a dream come true, or should've been. Was that why she was clinging on to him so much, blushing and following him around? So her first 'confession' back then when he saved her wasn't a joke? It was real?

Strangely enough, he didn't feel as ecstatic as he should've been, despite the fact that yes, this was a real confession, and yes, it was a girl – fairly attractive at that – asking him out, but for some reason, at the recess of his mind, a part of him felt like he was still missing something… or possibly, _someone. _

He didn't really have anything against the girl – now that he knew the intents behind her 'mysterious' gestures and behaviours, he could safely conclude that the girl was not trying to attack him – but still, it just felt… _wrong. _Like pieces of puzzles that didn't quite fit.

"I, I'm sorry, but…" Len fell silent, letting the blonde standing in front complete the sentence in her head. No matter how one looked at it, it was a rejection, clean and simple. Len didn't want to say _why, _to be honest, he wouldn't have been able to answer that, seeing how he himself didn't know.

Neru turned and ran, practically bawling her eyes out. Her friend, the silver-haired girl with red-eyes gave him a strange look, not the anger and sadness for her friend he expected to see, but just a strange look he couldn't quite identify, before turning and wordlessly trailed after her friend.

Len sighed, rubbing his eyes tiredly. At the very least there was no one else around, otherwise, that would've complicated matters further. He knew how rumours spread like wildfire, and the general sheep populace of Crypton High would believe just about any shit poured down their throat, evidences and truths be damned.

He felt bad for the girl – he wasn't a heartless player, toying with people's feelings and breaking hearts like glass. He knew that she was being sincere about her confession, and knew she would be hurting. Len inwardly winced, scolding himself for making a girl cry, especially to someone who just told him she liked him! But all the while, he still felt that he made the correct choice, and even if time could rewind back to the confession, he was sure his answer would remain unchanged.

It would certainly be awkward tomorrow, and the days after that. Neru wouldn't even be able to stay in the same room he was in, much less look at him and talk to him. At least, not without the rejection swimming around in their minds.

"Ya know, you could've tried saying 'yes', she looked like the world was about to end or something." A voice called out, causing Len to look up and meet the gaze of Rin Kagamine, who was leaning against the wall with her arms folded over her chest, with mock anger on her face.

Len sighed, "Yeah, but for some reason, it just felt… wrong, you know?"

"How so?" Rin asked, walking up to Len. He shook his head, "I, I'm not sure, just… I guess, I didn't know she felt that way about me, I guess."

"Um, you _do _realise that she's been pining for you, ever since, like, two months? Hello? Didn't you see she was blushing every time you were near?" Rin asked in an incredulous tone.

"Uh, I thought she was just sick or something…"

Rin stared at Len, before she doubled up in laughter, tears in her eyes as she laughed. "You…are…an IDIOT!"

Len rolled his eyes, though he couldn't help but smile at her antics. Trust her to defuse an awkward situation in most unexpected way possible. It was so _Rin. _

Once her laughter died down to occasional chuckle, she stood up and sat beside Len, giving him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. Len subconsciously leaned to her touch, a gesture which did not go unnoticed by the duo. "I don't know why you said 'no', but don't think I'll think badly of you. It's not really your fault, neither is it her's. Just give her time, and she'll get over it, so cheer the hell up, 'kay?" Rin said as she stood up with a cheery smile on her face, offering her hand.

He didn't know why, but her comforting words were more than enough to brighten up his day, putting his troubled mind at ease. As he took her hand, he felt tingling sensation running down his skin, though he didn't withdraw his hand, finding himself actually enjoying the skin contact. Even as he stood up the pair stood there, their hands still touching. Their eyes met, and for a moment their gaze lingered, some unexplainable feeling welling up inside Len, coursing through his blood and spreading around his body, and suddenly, he resisted the urge to reduce the gap between them, bring her closer and closer until their bodies met in an embrace…

The trance-like spell was broken by Rin's cellphone ringing, which the two realised the situation, and immediately jumped apart, heads bowed in embarrassment. Rin flipped open her phone, and hesitantly answered, "H, hello?"

Rin's conversation on the phone didn't register on his mind, the incident replaying in his mind over and over again, questions floating about, "What just happened?" "Why did he/she do that?" "What now?"

He could still vividly recall the tingling sensation he felt when his hand met hers, the odd trance-like state as he looked into her eyes, warm, soft shade of blue, very different to her tomboyish exterior. And that odd desire, no, desperate need for her, bringing her close to him, inhaling her unique scent, enjoying the warmth shared between the two as they embraced…

'_Whoa, I did NOT just think that.' _Len thought. _'Get your mind out of the gutter, Kagamine!'_

"Uh, Len?" Rin asked, looking at anywhere but him. "I uh, gotta go, you know, 'cause the school's over and all, and… yeah…"

Len could only nod, unsure what to say. What _was _there to say? He never dealt with anything remotely like this before, and it wasn't like he had anyone close to ask for advice in his life. He was still confused, about Rin, about himself, about his feelings for the aforementioned girl, just about everything that revolved around him, and Rin.

Said girl opened her mouth again, though this time meeting his gaze. He noticed that her face was a little red, though judging by the facial heat, he was sure he sported similar look on his face, "A, anyways, I'll, uh, see you around. Tomorrow?"

"Ye, yeah, sure…" Len's voice trailed off, unsure how to continue. Rin nodded, and walked off, before turning abruptly and handed Len something, which turned out to be his locker keys. "Where did you…?"

"I picked it up at the tree. Must've dropped out from your pocket or something, so I figured I'd pick it up and bring it back." Rin said, pointing at the keys on Len's hand.

Len smiled, "Thanks Rin, you're a lifesaver!"

Rin smiled back, "Yeah, don't forget your keys next time, you idiot. Not unless you want your stuffs taken."

"But you'll be there to save the day, won't you?" Len asked in faux innocence.

Rin snorted, "Or maybe I'll kick your ass first, then save the day. How's that?"

"Whatever…" Len mumbled in mock annoyance. Rin only laughed.

After few more verbal jabs exchanged, Rin and Len parted, the awkwardness between the two cleared, and they were back to their normal selves. However, the memories of the incident, the sensation, the touch, all these details still remained vividly fresh, lingering at the recess of their minds. Even now, Len could still feel the warmth of her hands on his, the velvet softness of her hands against his own.

* * *

xxXxx

* * *

It was yet another long day at school, though few things made it tolerable. First, she could sit with her sisters, muck around and sleep whenever the occasion called for it, all without a care in the world, seeing how the teachers no longer tried to get them to pay attention in class, not unless they wanted to incur the Rebel Sisters' wrath. Second, the school cafeteria served some _mean_ orange desserts, orange puddings and orange-flavoured ice-cream being one of few of her favourite.

Thirdly, and most recently, she managed to find a guy she actually didn't mind hanging around with, apart from her older brother figures, anyway.

Len. Len Kagamine. He shared the same name, not to mention they looked almost exactly alike, despite not being related by blood. They had similar shade of hair, not the mustard-yellowy blonde, but rather sun-kissed shade of blonde, if that ever made sense. But that was as far as the similarities went. Apart from the obvious gender-related features – be it physical or mental – personality-wise, they were different, almost being polar opposites. She was a tomboy, a brazen rebel who didn't put up with anyone else's shit, and didn't hesitate resorting to violence when the situation called for it. Above all, she valued her family as the most important thing in her life, and fiercely protected them (especially her sisters) from anyone who dared to hurt them. In a way, Rin was like a sun, burning brightly and illuminating all around her, basking her loved ones in blanket of warm light, while scorching her offenders with incinerating heat.

Len, however, was different. From the out-worldly perspective Len Kagamine was a quiet, shy, and socially awkward introvert, a classic lone wolf who rarely interacted with anyone. At least, that's what people perceived based on his appearance and behaviour, or lack thereof.

She wouldn't claim to know everything there was to know about the introverted blonde, but she knew she could see further, look deeper past the blank mask he put on to hide the real him inside. She knew that he grew up an orphan, and kicked out from the orphanage on his 13th birthday, and fended for himself on the streets for two years before he was adopted by a man who was rarely home. Just knowing this much would've reduced her to tears, if it weren't for the fact that she was tougher than that. She did feel sympathy for him, though.

At the same time, she knew that there were more to his past than what the records showed – she suspected that the records on his profile were merely sugarcoated versions of his raw, painful past, and that he was hiding more scars than what he was showing. Despite it all, he didn't give up, rather choosing to struggle for survival, for better future, fighting against the very world which tried to tear him apart. He endured through it all, and Rin couldn't help but feel a little respect for his strength.

Yawning, she laid on her side on her bed, trying in vain to will herself to sleep. It was difficult, as the thoughts about Len and the incident swirling in her mind like tempest, denying her the inner tranquillity she sought for.

'_What was all that about?' _Rin thought to herself, as the incident replayed in her minds over and over again, reminding her of the touches, the weird-but-good sensation she felt as their hands met, and the strange urge to bring herself closer to him.

She groaned, burying her head in her orange pillow, just why was she so hung up about this? Just why on earth was she so fucking flustered about this? Surely she didn't lik-

'_No, nooo way, no fucking way do I think of him that way. I do NOT like him – you never liked boys before, why should this one be any different? Focus, Kagamine!' _Rin barked to herself, resisting the urge to, well, she wasn't sure. She felt like punching something, yell, scream, cry, anything! She was feeling so confused, and she hated feeling confused, damnit!

'_Stupid Len, it's all his fault.' _Rin thought, though there was no malice behind it. Only confusion, confusion as to why he was making her feel this way, making her confused and so conflicted, something which she never experienced before. The only thing guys made her feel was contempt, anger, and annoyance. So why was this one so different from the rest? It wasn't like she was falling for him… such thing was ridiculous, right?

* * *

xxXxx

* * *

Fate really must have hated him. Just him, and no one else. He was probably justified in laying such a claim, seeing how he had yet another bad nightmare the night before, he accidentally cut his finger while preparing his lunch, suffered bodily damage after tripping down the stairs, and missed the bus, forcing him to use his own special 'route' to school (which involved jumping from building to building, in a broad daylight, without being seen). All this, even before the day even started. Things just couldn't get any worse, could they?

Unfortunately, fate was all too willing to answer his question which was, really, rhetorical in nature. Proof that he and fate weren't on the same page – probably didn't even speak the same language.

Whatever.

"Len-kun!"

'_That wasn't a request…' _Len sighed in irritation as he was brought back to the reality, the park bench he was sitting on, to be precise, with a cone of chocolate ice-cream in his hand, under the tree, sitting next to none other than Neru Akita.

On a d-date.

Len inwardly sighed, just how did he managed to get himself in this mess again?

**_-Several hours ago-_**

_Len just managed to jump up the window, which was, thankfully, open, thanks to Rin, who watched him with an amused smirk as he took his seat, grateful that no one else seemed to notice his rather unorthodox means of entering the class. Len grumbled a word of thanks, trying to ignore the sniggering blonde, who was trying her hardest not to burst out in laughter. _

_He noticed Neru's dejected form, slumped on her desk, ignoring everything and everyone else. Except her silver-haired friend who sat beside her, who was currently giving her a sympathetic pat on the back. _

_Len still felt a little bad, but his mind did not change. It was probably for the best, anyway._

_Without turning he deftly caught yet another ball of scrunched up note, already knowing who the sender was. Curious, he unfurled the note, and read the message._

_And wished he hadn't._

Len suppressed a growl, already feeling yet another migraine forming. To be fair, it wasn't all Neru – he was unaccustomed to spending so much time outside, necessity aside, doing, well, whatever. Like going to the movies, drinking special blends of cappuccino in some cafe he didn't know was there, and taking a walk in the park, eating an ice-cream. On a d-d-date…

She wasn't really so bad, after spending a little time together, once she got past her clinging and squealing, she was… okay. Not good, not bad, just… okay. She was a bit chatty, though, and was somewhat, for a lack of better word, _forcing _herself on him, like trying to drag him into a _lingerie _store because, as she said, as her _boyfriend, _he was entitled to help his girlfriend in her shopping. Len put his foot down at that – he was _not _going into a store full of women's undergarments, and that was final, something which Neru looked somewhat disappointed at.

Still, apart from that, the day wasn't so bad, except that it felt more like an outing with a distant acquaintance more than a romantic date. It wasn't really his fault though – more like Rin's, to be honest. When she _pleaded, _almost begged him, he couldn't find it in himself to say 'no'. She was probably the only friend he had, and he didn't want to get on her bad side and lose her friendship.

"So Len-kun, how was it today?" Neru beamed, looking up at him.

"It was okay." Len commented offhandedly. That probably wasn't the right thing to say, since she looked a little grumpy at his less-than-sincere response. Well, what could he say, lie and say it was perfect when it clearly wasn't?

"So, where do you want to go next? We haven't looked at all the Shibuya district yet, they've got sooo many stores you won't believe how many! Then there's the theme parks, the swimming pools, ooh, we can't forget the gardens, they say walking through the flower fields is so romantic~"

"…"

"So, where do you want to go first, Len-kun? Len-kun?" Neru asked, nearly hopping up and down in what seemed like, _'like she's suffering from excitement overdose.' _Len thought. Good god, did this girl _never _get tired?

He wondered what Rin would've done if she was here, instead. She would've snorted at the 'cute little cafe's', calling them girlish craps and drag him to somewhere like the timezone, where she would challenge him a round on Guitar Hero, or some other game that didn't include frills and dolls. Unless she was shooting them down. She wouldn't have dragged him off to watch something like _Twilight, _she would rather set the whole damn cinema on fire and watch it crash and burn, laughing all the while. _Rin _wouldn't drag him to a lingerie shop, or somewhere really embarrassing.

His train of thought screeched to a halt as his mind pulled the brakes. Why was he keep thinking about Rin? Why was it that he was imagining Rin sitting next to him on this park bench, and not this girl? Why was he imagining what Rin would've done if _she _was on a date with _him? _

Wait, a date? With Rin? Did he just seriously think that?

"Len-kun! Len-kun!" Neru frantically called his name, waving her hands in his eyes for good measures.

"H-huh? Wh-wha-" Len spluttered, before Neru cut him off. "Honestly, Len-Len, your mind's wandering off. Stay focused, we still have a lot to do, so many places to go to, so many things to do and see! We don't have time to waste, come on, Len-Len!"

Len frowned a little, what was with the pet names? "Please, don't call me that."

Neru pouted, "Why not, Len-Len? It's cute! Besides, girls can give cute names to their boyfriends, no?"

"Since when did I become your b-boyfriend?" Len asked, his eyes narrowing a little. Neru looked at him as if he was crazy, before replying, "Uh, hello? We're going out, remember?"

"Since when?"

"Since today, hours ago when you changed your mind and said 'yes'!" Neru exclaimed.

Len sighed, "I only agreed to one date, nothing else."

"Bu-but!"

"No. I said I'll go on one date with you. That was it. I didn't say I was going to be your boyfr-" Len was cut off with Neru's lips on his. The girl looked like she was having the time of her life, her eyes closed in bliss, leaning against his taller, stronger frame.

Len, on the other hand, was frozen in shock. He didn't kiss back, nor did he return the hug she was giving. He was taken aback at her sudden intimate gesture, and unlike Neru, he didn't feel anything. No bliss, no fireworks going off, nothing. Just… blank. The sensation of her lips on his didn't really register into his mind, either. It was just skin meeting skin, nothing more. Not like how it was with Rin when their hands met. No tingling sensation, no warmth, nothing.

Without even knowing, his subconscious replaced Neru with Rin, and suddenly, Len wandered what Rin's lips felt like.

As if struck by lightning, he pushed Neru away and looked down, missing the look of hurt and disbelief flashing on her face. "I…"

"Len-kun?" Neru asked in wavering voice, her eyes watering. Len gave her an apologetic look, "Look, I'm sorry, but I just…"

"Is there someone?" She asked, her tone suddenly low and frigid. Len shook his head, "No, but, it's just that… I don't feel the same way, Akita-san. I'm sorry…"

"Why…?" Neru trailed, before she turned and ran, sobbing as she went. Len looked at her leave with a pang of guilt, though it was easily drowned by his own inner turmoil, regarding another blonde girl. A blonde girl with a white ribbon.

"Why…?" Len's thoughts mirrored Neru's, though for entirely different reasons. He was feeling so confused, so damn conflicted, he didn't know what to do! He didn't understand, just why was _she_ making him feel this way?! Why? WHY?!

"GODDAMNIT!" He cried out in frustration, not knowing what to do. What was it about Rin that made him feel this way? So many questions, yet very few answers. So much to ponder, yet he understood so little. Rin. Rin Kagamine. _She _was the key to the mysteries, the answers.

It was a small chance, bordering on impossibility, even – but, maybe, just maybe, was he falling for Rin?

He sighed, he wished he knew…

* * *

xxXxx

* * *

Rin Kagamine was walking back home, her shoulders slumped, a dejected look on her face, her heart as heavy as lead. She could've smacked herself in frustration if she could, if only she wasn't so damn tired right now, both in body and mind.

She somehow knew that her plan – as hurried as it was – was probably one of her most stupidest stunts she ever pulled in her rebellious life, but even so, she didn't expect _this._

To be fair, she was only hoping to cheer up her sister, who came home the previous day, bawling her eyes out, helped by her new silver-haired friend whom she never recalled meeting before. There was something a bit disturbing about the way silver-haired girl looked at her, a brief glimpse of hatred and rage flashing across her deep-red eyes before she looked away, leaving Rin confused at the hostility. Though she shrugged it off, seeing how her distressed sister clearly needed some hugs, and a friendly ear or two.

After a cup of hot chocolate, it wasn't hard to coax the story out of her – she confessed to Len, the guy she was infatuated with, and was rejected. Clean and simple. Even though the family knew this was rather inevitable, it didn't stop them from feeling sympathetic to the wailing blonde. In the end, with words of encouragement from various family members and extra large helpings of Kaito-nii's special _Häagen_ _dazs _ice cream, Neru was tucked in to her bed. Even then, Rin swore she could hear occasional sniffles from her room.

Taking pity on her sister, she wanted to cut her some slack, and devised a plan. She just hoped that Len wouldn't mind, not that much anyway. Besides, it was only one date, so what could go wrong?

'Fate's a fucking bitch.' Rin thought tiredly. Apparently a lot could happen in a single date. Even to those who weren't part of the dating equation.

When Len reluctantly agreed, she gave him a rib-crushing bear-hug that left him (and her, for some reason) rather fluttered. Well, she had to show her appreciation, since even she couldn't help but feel that she was throwing him to the sharks.

Even as they set off, (a spring in Neru's steps while Len looked like he was trying to dig his heels into the ground) Rin couldn't help but feeling a little… weird, not unlike how she felt ever since that incident. For some reason, watching Neru drag Len off into god-knows-where just didn't settle right with her. Before she knew it, she found herself tailing the two blondes, matching her pace with theirs.

The rest of the date has been a series of emotional roller coaster for her, much to her chagrin. She was a little irked whenever Neru tried to hold his hand, and for some reason felt a little relieved when Len jerked his hand away. When Neru tried to drag Len into a lingerie shop, a little anger surged inside Rin, which, once again, confused her to no end. Imagine her joy when he seemingly bolted out the moment he saw the displays, and refused to step one foot inside the premise.

The rest, she could handle – most of them, anyway. She almost gagged with nausea when Neru dragged Len to a theatre to watch Twilight, of all things! Her hearts went out for Len, and strangely enough, found herself praying for his, well, sanity, and hoped that his will was strong enough to endure the torture. Ice cream in the park was okay, sitting on a park bench together was acceptable.

The kissing, however, wasn't.

Rin froze, shock written across her face, though no one would've been able to see her, seeing how she was hiding inside a clump of bushes. When Neru brought her lips on his, something suddenly exploded inside Rin, not quite anger, but something similar. It was intense, like a caged beast freed from its prison and roaring out in fury, its ire aimed at the blonde with one-sided pigtail, and it was crying out for blood, to wrench the blonde off the guy, to remove her from the equation, permanently, sibling-relationship be damned…

As if thrown a switch, the fury of the beast was quelled, its roar of anger replaced with a triumphant cry as she saw Len pushing Neru away, refusing to meet her gaze. She couldn't quite make out what they were saying, but it wasn't anything good, for Neru took off in the opposite direction, tears running down her face. Rin knew she should've felt sorry for Neru for the failed date, and angry at Len for hurting her sister, but really, she felt a little relieved, relieved that Len didn't return the kiss and sealed the deal right then and there.

She was rather startled at Len's sudden outburst, when he actually swore, shouting out loud, too. She didn't know why, was he regretting his decision? She hoped not.

She still didn't know why she felt the way she did whenever she was around Len – even though she knew that deep down, she already knew the answer. She was just too proud, and a little scared, to admit it.

She sighed, things were never easy, were they?

* * *

xxXxx

* * *

Unbeknownst to the distressed blonde firebrand, a pair of deep-red eyes were watching her with scrutinizing gaze, taking note of her distress, and the cause behind it.

In the darkness, Tei Sukone smirked. Her plan was going well so far. These fools were playing their parts well, dancing like the puppets they were to the strings of her machination. Their roles were coming to an end, and in the end, Rin Kagamine would watch her life shatter before her very eyes.

"Yes, just you watch, Kagamine. The hour of vengeance draws near, and soon, you'll experience the very pain you caused me, tenfold_…"_

* * *

__**A/N: I've been bedridden with... flu? Fever? Well, _something _anyway for few days, so I wasn't feeling so chipper. This chapter was squeezed out from my fever/flu/whatever-induced mind, so if you see something rather odd sticking out, blame the fever/flu/whatever.**

**It's kinda embarrassing to admit, but I've never been on a date before, and I'm not much of a romantic person (at least, I don't think I am) so typing out all these fuzzy-feelings and whatnot has been a herculean task. You can stop laughing now!**

**...anyways, on that note, if you think I'm lacking something in these areas, please let me know (somehow) so that I can improve, or whatever...**

**As usual, thanks to the readers for the supports, in particular, to Lynn 'Ne'-chan for frequent reviews. Thanks a lot!**

**Also, a special binary-coded, computer-programmed digital cookie to whoever pokes Yume no Neko on the nose and tell her to _get the damn chapter uploaded already!_ _Gahh!_ **


	5. Jealous, much?

**Chapter Five – Jealous, much?**

**As usual, here's chapter five. Enjoy! Oh, and by the way, I don't own _Tekken, _so you can't sue me, Ha!**

* * *

It was a strange day for one Miku Hatsune. Granted, the day started off innocently enough, the birds were chirping and singing, perched on the tree branch outside her window, it was a clear, warm day, and it only took her an hour to get her twin pigtails just right, as opposed to the usual two, three on her bad hair day. All in all, Miku Hatsune was a happy girl, which wasn't anything out of the ordinary; she was (un)usually bright and cheerful person, sweet as a pocky no matter what, and dare she say it, the most feminine one of the four Rebel Sisters. Sometimes it was rather difficult to believe how she was even labelled as a rebel, a direct contrast to her bubbly, happy-go-lucky personality.

Oh wait, that explains it.

Anyways, given her personality it was a rare moment for those who caught her feeling rather down, as only certain things were capable of putting a frown or a saddened, kicked-in-the-gut puppy look on the teal-haired diva's 'angelic' face. One of them was taking her leeks away from her. The other, was to see her family, especially her sisters sad. Like how Neru was doing now, clutching on to her as if she was her life-support, the tears cascading from the blonde's eyes more or less soaking Miku's trademark sleeveless grey shirt with teal seam, her favourite shirt.

Not that she paid any heed to it, her sister was clearly distressed, and she knew which one was more important. Miku gave the crying blonde an affectionate pat on the back, softly cooing reassurances to calm her sister down. "Shh, it's okay, Neru. Tell me, what happened?"

The blonde could only cry harder, crying out incoherent jumbles of words that no one could interpret. Miku looked up, her eyes shining with silent plea for help, because clearly, she wasn't going to get anything done on her own. Gumi looked rather confused, though she moved closer, ready to help however she could, even if it was just stuffs like getting her tissues and a glass of water or two. Rin, on the other hand…

Rin. Her brash, tomboy of a sister was unusually quiet, a strange look on her face. She was fidgeting with the tips of her white bow nestled on her head, and this Miku found rather strange. Usually, whenever one of the sisters were reduced to a shivering, crying mess, Rin would be the first to tell them to 'toughen up', before getting the story out of them, give them a tight, affectionate hug before making them laugh it all out. It was just her way of showing that she was there for her family and loved ones, her own way of cheering people up.

But now, she was silent, her body rigid and tense, and from what she could see, a deep conflicted look on her face, a clear sign that something was wrong.

Rin stood up, gave Neru an awkward pat on the back, before grabbing her black leather jacket and headed out, a thunderous roar of a motorbike following not too later, accompanied by _screech _of tyre. Miku nodded at Gumi, and in an unspoken agreement, Gumi took Neru from Miku, who mirrored Rin's actions and started her own bike parked outside, similar in model and design but with teal fire painted on the side. Kicking her bike into gear, she drove out, the destination set clear in her mind.

As she expected, Rin was in the deserted highway, leaning against her bike, arms across her chest, with the orange sunset light beaming down at the scene below, illuminating her silhouette rather artistically. Looking from the distance, the scene looked more like a scene from a painting, Rin positively glowing in sunset.

'_Figures she would come here.' _Miku thought. The deserted highway was a part of small part of area lying on the outskirt of the city that has been abandoned for many years, due to various reasons, and has been left untouched since then. Now, all that was left of this barren wasteland was a field full of rocks and tumbles of dry weeds and vegetation choking the concrete pavements here and there, a long, deserted highway with cracks all over the asphalt foundation, and at the end of the road, was a large building, comprised of several floors. The windows were either broken or covered in thick blanket of dust, numerous cracks here and there, the paints have long since vanished, and the metals were red and brown with rust.

It was a rather depressing sight, but for some, namely the Rebel Sisters, managed to make some use of the place, like the fact that because it was far away from the main city, and because it was quiet, they could party the night away without restraints, downing drinks and blaring music out of radio speakers without having to deal with sleep-deprived, high-as-fuck neighbours bitching about the noise. Not having to deal with irate cops was a plus, as well.

For several years the Rebel Sisters have made this area their hideout, their secret spot where they could enjoy spending time together, doing whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted.

During then, they were so…free, happy and carefree, without a single worry in the world. Those were the simple days, where they still lived in their dream worlds, sheltered from the cold, harsh reality. Back then, they were all so close together, down to the point of being inseparable. They shared everything, food, clothes, secrets, they were content.

And now… Miku resisted the urge to sigh. How she missed the old days. Even though they were still close together, there was no denying the inevitable gap between the four sisters, slowly growing, bigger and wider…

Cautiously, Miku approached her sister, who simply continued to look at the sunset. Without turning, Rin spoke, in a dull voice, "Why are you here, Miku?"

Not one to beat around the bush, Miku answered, "I could ask the same thing, Rin. Why are _you _here?"

"Who wants to know?" Rin scoffed.

Miku frowned, "Rin, it doesn't take a genius to figure out that something's on your mind. You weren't your usual self, not for past few days, actually. You may not see it, but we're worried, what's up?"

"…"

"Rin…"

Rin sighed, "It's just… I'm just, so… _confused_ at the moment, like, you know, you have no idea what's going on around you, that kinda thing?"

Miku was silent, listening intently. Taking this as her cue, she continued, "It's just, okay, this is gonna sound so retarded, but for some reason, I keep thinking about Len, you know, that guy?"

"Yeah, I know who he is. Is he somehow connected to you acting weird and Neru crying her eyes out?" Miku asked.

"Yeah, see, the thing is…" Rin explained the situation, while Miku simply listened.

"…And that's how it is." Rin concluded. Miku could only stare at her, an odd look on her face. "So, um, wow…"

"…Yeah…"

"So, now we know how _they _feel. What about you, Rin?"

"What do you mean?"

"Rin," Miku sighed, "Let's not play the ignorant game, please? We both know that there's _something _going on between you and Len-"

"Miku, there's _nothing _going on between me and him. Nothing!" Rin cut off agitatedly.

"You're lying."

"And how would _you _know?" Rin yelled.

"Because it's as plain as a day, and you're just being stubborn, refusing to admit the fact that you like him!" Miku yelled back, her patience thinning.

The two stood there, glaring at each other, panting after their outburst. It was safe to say that the two was feeling rather upset, both at each other and themselves. Miku inwardly scolded herself, this wasn't how it was supposed to be, she was supposed to be cheering Rin up, listen to whatever trouble occupied her minds, and offer her hugs and advice to make her feel better.

"Sorry Rin, I shouldn't have…" Miku trailed off, guilt clawing her way in her stomach.

"No, it's my fault, really. I shouted at you first…" Rin apologised, looking just as guilty, refusing to meet her gaze.

After few moments of silence, Rin quietly said, "I just, I don't know _what _I feel for him, you know? Part of me _thinks _I like-like him, but at the same time…"

Rin sighed, took a deep breath, before continuing, "At the same time, I'm… _scared, _you know? And the worst thing is, _I don't even freakin' know why_…"

Miku drew Rin in her arms in an embrace, which Rin responded almost immediately. Rin made a sound which suspiciously sounded like sniffles, but Miku chose not to comment, knowing that Rin was at her vulnerable side now, and needed someone to lean on for support, and Miku didn't hesitate in lending her support.

"It's okay, Rin, anyone would feel the same. I understand." And she did, somewhat. After all, she too, had boyfriends before, and when she first went out with a boy, she too, felt happy, yet insecure about herself, and afraid of being her heart bashed in.

Heart. It truly was a fragile thing, love could easily empower it, and yet, it could completely shatter it like glass, into sharp, jagged shards that may or may never dull. Matters of hearts and feelings had nothing to do with physical prowess. Even the almighty Rin Kagamine, the pillar of strength for the sisters, weren't invulnerable against her heart… and love. Because it was as clear as a day that Rin Kagamine had strong feelings for Len Kagamine, whether she knew it herself or not.

Len. Len Kagamine. The first guy who ever managed to bring out Rin's vulnerable side, the side of her that she buried deep inside, away from the clutches of even her family, and the guy who managed to snare her heart, whether he knew it himself or not.

"It's okay, Rin. It'll be okay." Miku whispered in her ear, as Rin's petite frame shook as she silently cried. God, she hoped so.

* * *

xxXxx

* * *

Kimura Hoshiko was a happy man. At least, as happy as a man could get on his shift during a _freaking public holiday. _Good god, making him work over the clock wasn't bad enough, so now his superiors ordered _him _of all people to take the shift as the warden of the day?

He snorted, oh yeah, 'cause he _totally loved _spending time watching over and guarding the inmates, making sure that they were quiet and docile behind their bars. Never mind the fact that some of these inmates had a way of just driving whoever was unfortunate to patrol around the area up the wall, and not simply by throwing annoying remarks here and there, either.

"UGH! SHUT THE FUCK UP!" he screamed out in anger as one of the inmate was wailing, _again, _making that god-awful noise that made the usual nail-across-the-board screech sound like a lullaby. Seems like shouting wasn't the greatest idea, as the 'wailer' (the wardens dubbed him that after his incessant wailing) well, wailed with renewed vigour. Honestly, he wasn't sure whether this wailer was, well, wailing on purpose, just to drive them nuts, or just wailing because it was just something that was natural to him. Either way, it was annoying.

With few well-aimed prods with stun rods, the screeching wails died down, until blissful silence fell over the gloomy prison. With that, he could allow a sigh of relief. As soon as he retired, he swore to find whoever invented the stun rods, and kiss their foot for their wonderful ingenuity.

With the immediate threat quelled, he allowed himself to relax, leaning back on his chair in the small office cubicle not far from the main entrance. He didn't like the grayness of the prison, it just made the place look more… dead, lifeless. Which explained the colourful walls, painted in bright neon paints that could make the wardens' eyes water.

He yawned tiredly, remembering that he didn't get much sleep the night before. Since it was a public holiday, meaning the prison was closed for visits, which meant that he could give himself some shut-eyes, even if for a moment or two. Sleeping on the duty wasn't exactly the wisest decision, but his sleep-deprived mind won over his conscience, and soon, he could feel himself drifting off into sleep, his eyelids drooping ever so lightly. Well, he could doze off a little, it was understandable, given his situation! Surely a short nap or two won't hurt anybody, right?

* * *

xxXxx

* * *

Several hours later, if one was to walk past the prison compounds, they would be greeted with a rather troublesome sight; the main gate of the compound in shambles, numerous police cars stationed near the gray building, blue and red lights flickering at odd, unmatched intervals. Many police officers standing around, some shouting commands, some running to and fro, panic and confusion plastered across their faces.

This was the scene that Lei Wu Long, a detective specially requested for by the Crypton City Police, was graced with when he approached the scene. Without breaking his stride he walked into a large tent, where several police officers – highly ranked, if their badges were anything to go by – were seated around a round table, as if they were in a business conference.

As soon as he took his seat, the officer sitting at the head of the table began, "As you may have heard, detective, there was a mass prison breakout that transpired few hours ago. There were approximately 200 inmates locked behind the bars, and about a half managed to escape. Good news is, we managed to recapture at least half, with few more being detained even as we speak. The bad news is, the remainder fled into the city, hiding among the crowds to avoid detection."

Detective Wu Long nodded, "So what has been done for those who escaped?"

"We've dispatched our men around the city, their order to recapture any convicted escapee, secure them and put them back in their cells, where they belong."

"Any casualties?" Lei enquired.

The head officer hesitated, before answering, "Just few. Several inmates who were caught up in unfortunate accidents, or those who threatened the lives of my men. They had their orders to subdue them in any way possible, and, if necessary, put them down if they were perceived a grave threat. That, and a lone warden."

He looked angry for a moment, and few officers sitting around looked down in shame. "It appears that some of the superiors were rather lax with their security, hence there was only one warden present during the time. As those criminals escaped, they killed him."

So that explained the black body bag he saw on the way in, he mused. Before he could contemplate further, a thick brown folder slid to him, courtesy of the head officer who continued, "Within that file you'll find the details regarding the inmates, their personal details, reasons for imprisonment and such. My officers and I already read the files, so you'll have to catch up, quickly, if you can. We've not a moment to waste."

Lei nodded, and flicked through the pages filled with odd papers and photographs. Out of them, one particular name caught his interest. Taking out the page, he began to read. An officer sitting on his right noticed it, and said, "Ah, that one. Pretty vicious, if I remember. The one who was caught during a bank heist. You helped us with him, remember?"

"Akaito…"

"No last name, at least, not that anyone is aware of. He was the leader of the gang who called themselves 'Hell's Satan', notorious for their history of vandalism, thefts, rapes, and finally, the bank heist that I just mentioned."

Something clicked in Lei's mind. Of course, he should've remembered – he was in the bank that day, after all. It wasn't like he was hard to remember; angry red hair, rather large, and generally gave off this bad, weird vibe that just screamed out 'danger!'. He and his lackeys stormed in, armed from sharp, jagged knives to a shotgun. With that, they took the bank staff hostages, along with several citizens who were caught up in the midst of it. Come to think of it, he vaguely remembered being helped by a blonde girl with a white ribbon on her head, surprisingly skilled at fighting for one so young. He didn't even catch her name, or her friends', since they all mysteriously disappeared, leaving not a trace behind. Hmm…

Well, it did happen few years ago, and he was quite busy most of the time, such was the life of a detective, a _good _detective, anyways. Snapping the folder shut, he rose and followed the officers, intent on solving the case. At any rate, the prison was probably a good place to start.

"Come take a look at this, sir. It's a video footage caught from the security camera moments prior to being busted by the criminals as they escaped."

Lei Wu Long leaned closer, looking intently at the black-and-white footage. It was there, not too long after the lone warden fell asleep, he could vaguely see a fuzzy outline of a figure sneaking past, before stopping at a cell, unlocking it with a key. The figure, and the escaped convict went around, unlocking gates here and there, before the warden stirred a little. From there on the scene was nothing more than a blur, but from what he could squint out, it seemed like one of the convict jumped on the warden, then… nothing.

"What's with these qualities of security cameras?" Lei demanded. The officer looked ashamed, as he answered, "We don't get nearly enough funds for maintenance, let alone for re-developments. Along that, we're short on resources and men, which was why we requested for help from outside the city. Please understand, sir, we're doing the best we can with what we have, and even then, it's not much…"

Lei sighed, silently vowing to have a word with the city authorities. Shoving that thought aside, he re-focused on the camera, though he couldn't get anything else out of it.

"From what we could gather, it seems like this was a planned attack, choosing this particular day, during a public holiday, to strike. Also, we had few witnesses who saw a girl dressed in all black sneaking around the prison compound, moments prior to the mass outbreak."

"A girl?" Lei asked, curious.

"Yes sir, unfortunately, that's all we have."

"I see…"

* * *

xxXxx

* * *

How his life quickly spiralled out of control, he had no idea. His idea of spending his life was fairly simple; sleep, eat, train, bathe, and somehow survive the torturous hours of school before running back to his house. A house where he was practically living on his own. It _was _pathetic, but at least he wouldn't have to re-live his past all over again. He already did that in his dreams, he didn't need reality to screw things up for him.

And yet, all his plans, or lack thereof, pretty much went out of the window on that fateful day, when he ran into perhaps the last kind of person he would ever run into, let alone interact, Rin Kagamine. Granted, their first encounter wasn't all sunshines and rainbows – instead it was flurry of punches and storms of kicks, which was brought to an awkward, abrupt end with his concrete-demolition stunt. Since then, he was worried about how Rin would react, would she spread rumors about him, make his life a living hell, like others did many years ago? Would she hate him?

There wasn't much he knew about Rin Kagamine – or just about anyone else in general, really – but he surmised that Rin was a tomboy, one that could beat up guys twice her size, as well as a rebel who rarely ever gave a fuck for, well, anything, really. Especially when it came to school-related things. Just looking at it, it was painfully obvious that they were polar opposites, like the hottest fire compared to coldest ice. They wouldn't match. It was impossible.

Or so he thought, until two months ago, when she asked to talk to him in private, stuttered out words of thanks for saving her clingy-but-precious sister, Neru. Len knew that she was rather embarrassed, and assumed that her pride was clashing with appropriate courses of actions. In the end, though, she bit back her pride and thanked him, simply because it was _right. _Len knew then that there was perhaps more to Rin than what she cared to show to the world.

Perhaps this revelation was what drew him to her? He wouldn't know, all he could tell was that at that moment, he felt something stirring inside of him, something he couldn't identify, but couldn't ignore.

Of course, since then, they were quick to befriend each other, the conversation turning from different fighting styles to just about anything, mundane, personal, anything. He could now say that he knew quite a bit about Rin; her near-obsession with oranges, biking with her sisters, sleeping through classes (he did that too) and whatnot. That two months was probably the best time he ever had in his life, seeing how he never had anyone remotely close to a friend around him before.

During that two months, that strange feeling inside him only grew bigger and bigger, to the point where he felt like he could drown in it, like overfilled glass, where even the gentlest nudge could tip the contents over.

Then there was that incident, where their hands met, and in that moment, to him at least, suddenly all he could see was Rin, the world around him disappeared, until Rin was the only one left. Suddenly he felt overwhelmed by this intense urge to hold her in his arms, breathing in her scents, and never letting go.

This, of course, left him confused to no end, his mind swirling with emotions, as he tried to understand just _why _he felt that way. Even now, he still couldn't find the answer, although…

Len sighed as the memories of the 'date' re-surfaced in his mind. _'Oh yeah, that went well.' _He thought sarcastically. The date itself wasn't bad, though it was rather annoying, having to listen to Neru's incessant rants about, well, things he didn't really understand. For all he knew, she would've been speaking in another language, and he wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

Sigh, no, it wasn't the date itself, it was _after_ when things went downhill, fast.

He still felt bad – I mean, who wouldn't, after making a girl cry? – but he knew his actions were justified. After all, what was he supposed to do after being kissed by a girl, someone he didn't even remotely like, even!

If that wasn't bad enough, he didn't know what was wrong with his mind, as his mind was keep replacing Neru with Rin, always wondering along the lines of, _'Now, what would Rin do at this situation?' 'What would Rin like to do if she was here?' 'Would she like this coffee, too?'_

'_I wonder how it feels to have Rin's lips on mine…'_

Len groaned, burying his head on his desk, banging his forehead on the cold, gleaming wood, trying to rid himself of such… _thoughts_.

"Len?" A familiar sweet voice called out, immediately making him tense, blood rushing to his face, much to his dismay. Hesitantly, he looked up, and there she was, in all her glory, clad in her usual getups, the ever-the-omnipresent white bow fixed on her sun-kissed hair.

"Y-yeah?" Len stuttered out. He noticed that Rin was blushing as well (he _finally _found out that she wasn't sick – she was just blushing) as she coughed and said, "U-um, just want to say that I'll probably be at the usual spot earlier than usual, so, yeah…"

"O-oh, okay, then. Um, see you later?"

"Uh, yeah…"

Awkward silence ensued, with the two looking anywhere but at each other, their face still bright red. Silently they dared each other to say something, _anything, _to break off the awkwardness hovering in the air.

"So, um, I've got gym, so I'll, uh, see you later, right?"

"Y-yeah…"

Great, now his mind was wondering off again, in a wrong direction, one that involved Rin in her gym uniform…

Len growled, mussing his hair, trying in vain to terminate his thought process. He got up, shouldered his bag and walked out of the classroom, not looking back. He knew that the class was going to start in five minutes, but he knew that he wouldn't be able to get any studying done, his mind was already preoccupied with better thoughts to process than cramming some chemical formulas and biological enzymes. Might as well as cool off. In his daze, he was unaware of the two pair of eyes following his every move.

* * *

xxXxx

* * *

It was a crappy day for Neru Akita, perhaps the crappiest day of the crappiest two months she had, which, ironically was also the best day of the best two months in her life. The months spent on fantasising about her handsome hero, about their happily-ever-afters, and finally, _the date_. Truly, she would've died with happiness, especially when she finally kissed him. Okay, maybe her fairy tales dictated that the princes initiate the kiss, but hey, she wasn't complaining.

At least, she wasn't, until she realised his lack of reaction, like how his lips were still, not moving in heated synchronisation as she envisioned, his arms stiff by his side, not wound around her figure like she hoped. His eyes, his _beautiful _blue eyes, they didn't show any warmth, any love that she wanted to see, instead filled with confusion and disbelief.

That sent all kinds of alarms ringing in her mind, and when he pushed her away, all her fantasies, the hopes, her happily-ever-afters, were shattered like glass, like bricks of reality were thrown against her fragile dreams, shattering it beyond repair, leaving behind sharp, ugly mess.

She cried and cried and cried, even though she was surrounded by her family, who were trying to cheer her up, though it was rather meaningless effort. After that, she didn't really remember much of anything, she suspected that she cried herself to sleep, if the dampness of the pillow and her PJ's were anything to go by. She yawned, turning her head to check the time.

Normally, she would've freaked out if she woke up at 11 am, two hours after the school started, but she realised she didn't really care. She still felt like crap, and she'd have to see _him _again, and be reminded of the fact that he _didn't _love her, not like how she did, anyway. What was the point in all of it, anyway?

* * *

xxXxx

* * *

"U-um, just want to say that I'll probably be at the usual spot earlier than usual, so, yeah…"

Tei could hear Rin stuttering out, and peeking over the book she held open in front of her, she could see that Rin, the oh-so-mighty Rin Kagamine, was _blushing, _because of a _boy. _Perfect.

As both Kagamine's left the classroom, one way or the other, Tei closed her book, no longer needing to pretend to read it. So, Rin Kagamine was falling for a boy, hmm? This was getting better and better, Tei let out a discreet smirk. She didn't expect this to actually happen, but lo and behold, it did, and that only gave Tei more satisfaction.

After all, the pain of losing a loved one was the worst kind of pain to exist, right?

She would've laughed out loud, but the whole point of her being here was to remain discreet and not draw attention to herself, especially from Rin. Okay, so maybe she wasn't being so discreet, her obsession with blood and violence was hinted with, well, the stuffs she did.

That's for another time, though.

Walking out of the classroom, she made her way to a secluded corner of the school, where she flipped out her phone and dialled a number. Not a moment too later, a gruff voice answered, "Hello?"

"Hey, darling, it's me, Tei."

"Ah, hey babe, how's it going?"

"Things are looking up. Now all we need is just the right situation, then she's ours."

The voice laughed, which prompted Tei to laugh maniacally. "Great! I've spent years in that fucked up prison, thanks to that bitch. I can't wait! I can already hear her screams of pain, as we stick her slowly, and painfully…"

Tei shuddered in pleasure, the imagery, the blood, the gore sending pleasure down her body. "Yes, something to look forward too, yeah?" She huskily whispered.

"Alright then, me and my boys are all revved up, just make sure to get her somewhere nice and quiet, if you know what I mean."

"Of course, I have to go now. Love you, darling."

"Love you too, babe."

With that, she hung up, a blush creeping up on her face. Oh, Akaito, he was such a sweet lover, he and his ways of pleasuring her and melting her into a pile of goo… All those days where they spent days in bed, pleasuring each other until they couldn't differentiate heaven and earth…

And all that crashed and burned, thanks to Rin-fucking-Kagamine.

She was going to pay, she was going to die, slowly, and painfully, until she was begging for death, on her knees, at their feet, where she belonged. She would be given no mercy, cutting her into bits and drain all her blood.

It's necessary, because, after all, it has been a while since she and Akaito had their blood baths… and the rough, hot and raunchy sex while drenched in blood…

Tei shook her head, she needed to put that aside. For now, she had work to do. With that in mind, she dialled another number, this time taking a bit longer until a depressed voice answered, "Hello?"

"Oh, Neru, what's wrong? You sound like you've been put through a blender and cut into bits!"

"…"

"Anyways, come over here, quickly, I've got to show you something."

She heard Neru sigh on the other end, "Tei… I-I don't really feel like coming to school today…"

"Neru, it's only for a while. After that, you can go back. That, and I want to hear what happened, so that I can help you, okay?"

"…Okay…"

"Great! Get over here by," Tei glanced at her watch. "Well, in thirty minutes. Can you do that?"

"Yeah, sure…"

"'Kay, see you then!" Tei said cheerily, before hanging up and let out a laugh she was holding. Honestly, _this _particular blonde lived up – or was it down? – to her stereotype. Not that she was complaining; having a love-struck fool as her accomplice had its merits, though they were only temporary. Tei wasn't Neru's friend, unlike how the blonde was thinking. So she wouldn't even bat an eyelash when she killed Neru.

After all, the only cure for stupidity was death.

* * *

xxXxx

* * *

She did say she had gym as her class next, but the truth was, she didn't set one foot into the changing room, much less actually attended the damn class. She had her reasons, like how the gym uniform for girls were nothing more than skimpy undergarments, practically showing the world everything, how listening to that gym instructor who sounded like a foghorn, and how she just didn't feel like going to class, which was a given, for her at least.

Now, though, was different. It wasn't the skimpy uniform, the gym instructor or whatever that made her so quiet and lost in thought, rather, it was some_one, _a boy, to be precise.

She passed by Miku, who gave her a sympathetic look, and nodded in understanding. Words weren't really necessary with someone you spent better part of your life growing up with. That, and Miku knew what was on her mind, so she didn't need to ask.

Rin walked slowly, dazed and lost in thought, until she reached their 'usual spot'. She still didn't know how Len managed to find this place, seeing how it was practically concealed behind mountains of bushes and other wild vegetation, but she had to admit, it was quiet and peaceful, something that she didn't really get much in any other parts of the school.

Tossing her bag haphazardly, she lied on her back, her hands behind her head, as her thoughts drifted away like the clouds above her.

She didn't have much of a goal planned, only living each day as it was. Her 'plans' for the year simply included chilling out with her family and sisters, fuck around with the school authorities and step over boundaries, enjoying the rush of adrenaline whenever they did something ridiculously dangerous, like racing each other on their bikes. Her life was supposed to be simple, free of complicated shits that life sometimes threw at whoever it wanted, whenever it was bored.

Seems like life did just that, threw a freakin' wrench in her plans, ruining her peaceful days. That wrench, that good-looking, quiet, shy wrench, was Len. Len Kagamine.

At first she didn't really register anything about him, really, his appearance, his personality, nothing. All she cared about back then was going back home and sleep, when he ran into her, knocking her to the ground, _and _straddling her, making her blush and throwing her confused mind for a loop.

She admitted that she was the one who threw the first punch, though she justified her action with the fact that she was tired, sleep-deprived, or what have you. Still, that concrete demolition stunt _was _an eye-opener…

That incident had her a little interested in him, I mean, how often do you see a guy who can completely destroy a thick concrete wall with bare hands? That night, when she had Neru hack into his information, or lack thereof, she was surprised, and a little saddened. Well, who wouldn't feel a little bad for a guy who's been kicked out of the orphanage at his 13th birthday, and forced to live on the streets, scavenging for food in the dumpsters and sleeping in some shitty areas for _two _years?

That asides, she didn't think they had anything in common – she was a brash tomboy with a fiery temper, a rebel who enjoyed bruising teachers' egos and knocking them off their high horses. While _he _was shy, introverted and so damn quiet she actually thought he was a mute, once. That, and the fact that he looked more or less like a guy-version of her didn't really help.

Of course, there was that one time where she had to bite back her pride, bend her head down and _thank _him for saving her annoying but all-the-while-precious ditz of a sister, Neru. That meeting was rather awkward, but for some reason, she didn't really regret it. Because, at that moment, she swore she felt something flickering inside her, like a small candlelight.

Since that day, she always went to the cherry tree, always finding him resting under its shade, before proclaiming challenges. She has yet to beat him, after all. At first he was reluctant, but soon his demeanour changed, until he was just as eager for their daily spar. As they sparred, she saw how his usually dull and lifeless blue eyes sometimes twinkled a little, making him look more… alive, with small smiles on his face, looking as if he was having the time of his life.

She then realised, that she liked seeing him smile, even if only a little.

That revelation, of course, took her by surprise. She never felt anything more than contempt and disgust for guys, having to deal with their perverted comments, wandering hands, and the lecherous looks in their eyes whenever they saw her. She, of course, gladly gave them her answer, usually with clean knockouts. She's been a guy-beater for as long as she knew, protecting herself and her sisters from the perverted males.

But with Len, she didn't feel any of that. Instead, she felt… different, happy, safe, even. She never felt so strongly with her brothers before, and yet…

She sighed, if she had to be honest with herself, she knew what she felt for Len was… more than 'just friends'. Try as she might, she would never be able to deny it, not even to herself. That day, when her innocent gesture of offering a hand for support became something else entirely different. That simple touch was more than enough to send weird feelings through her body, the strange, unknown urge to somehow lean closer into his embrace, feel his strong arms wrapped around her, feeling safe and secure in his arms…

Then, of course, there was that _date. _She still didn't know why she asked Len that favour, but now she regretted it… kind of. Mostly because how she felt angry whenever Neru leaned closer to Len, her eyes closed in bliss that Rin could only dream of, and hoping for.

And that kiss… Rin now knew what that intense surge of anger she felt; jealousy. She was jealous of Neru for stealing what was probably Len's first kiss, and jealous, because, because…

…Because, she knew, right there and then, she wished it was her who was kissing him, her who was feeling Len's lips against hers, not Neru Akita. Never her. Only Rin.

So lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice another presence until he towered over her, his shadow wrapped over her like a quilt. He extended a hand, and she was about to take it, when a moment of déjà vu flashed across, and let their hands drop, both blushing and looking away, embarrassed.

"So, uh, hey." Len managed to initiate his usual greeting, though his voice warbled a bit. Still blushing, Rin nodded, and squeaked out, "H-hey."

The two stood, still refusing to meet each other's gaze. After ensuing awkward silence, in an unspoken command, the two wordlessly got into their stances, Rin in her standard Aikido stance, where she stood facing him, feet apart, her left feet preceding her right, her hands raised up to her chest level, hands unclenched. Len, on the other hand, was a little different, standing with his feet equally spread apart, though in his case his right foot was placed ahead of his left, his body slightly bent, his torso facing away from her, his right hand hovering low while his fist was raised.

With a single nod, the two immediately rushed at each other, wasting no time throwing the first obligatory hits. Rin threw her introductory combos, which consisted of rapid jabs, followed by low sweep kick with a roundhouse to bring the rear. Len parried the jabs, jumped over the sweep kick, though barely managed to get his guards up in time to deflect her powerful roundhouse. Len staggered a little, though he recovered fast and leapt at her, his legs raised for a powerful hammer kick. As Rin sidestepped, Len, with one foot still off the ground, pulled off a rapid spin kick, which Rin blocked with her grips. With his foot caught in her grip, she pulled, and threw him off away from her. Using the momentum, Len landed in a handstand, and cartwheeled himself up.

From an outside perspective, their sparring was more like a graceful dance more than fighting, the two fighters moving in graceful synchronisation, one step forward, two steps back. Twirl, flip, spin. Intercept, separate, converge. They moved so perfectly together, they may as well have been one entity, when he moved, she moved in turn, and vice versa.

At times they moved furiously, like tempest in the storm, maelstrom in the ocean, and at times, they moved with grace, like cherry blossom petals drifting about gently in the wind, like leaves dancing in the autumn rain.

It was truly a marvel, a sight to behold.

Rin, so preoccupied with dodging Len's kicks, neglected to watch the terrain, and tripped over a tree root, falling on her back. Len, who was only an inch or so away from her at that time, became a victim of his own body momentum, tumbling after Rin, landing on top of her.

"Ow!" "Fuck, that hurts!" The two cursed simultaneously, their eyes clenched shut in pain. When they did open their eyes, they were surprised at the close proximity, Len's deep sapphire eyes only inches away from Rin's soft aquamarine eyes. When their eyes met, they fell into that mysterious trance-like state again, each mesmerised by each other's eyes.

Suddenly, that strong urges lit inside them both, the small flicker of light suddenly growing bigger and bigger, burning with intense passion that threatened to overwhelm their minds. Then slowly, their eyes closed, their face inching slowly closer together.

Then their lips met.

The world didn't shake. Angels didn't descend from the heavens, blowing their trumpets. There was no brilliant array of fireworks going off in their minds. No, it was a kiss. One that felt so smooth and velvety soft, so sweet like nectar, so _right. _It wasn't just two different lips meeting. It was much, much more than that. Behind that simple gesture, so many feelings, so many thoughts, all untold, was shared, even the ones that they were unaware of, or tried to deny.

It just felt like taking the first step to becoming _complete_, becoming _whole. _As they secretly envisioned, their lips just matched so damn perfectly, almost as if they were _meant _to fit.

Their blissful moments were shattered when a sound of clumps of bush rustling jostled them out of their moment. Rin, suddenly realising the situation, without thinking, quickly pushed him off and looked away, missing the look of hurt on Len's face.

"Rin…?" Len quietly asked. Rin winced at the hurt in his voice, though she still refused to meet his eyes, which she knew was going to be full of pain, hurt, and confusion. "Len, I…"

Rin didn't know why, but she found herself running, running as fast as her legs could carry, away from the tree, away from his pained voice, away from him…

* * *

xxXxx

* * *

Len stood there, still gaping at the area where Rin took off, before disappearing out of his sight. His befuddled mind was still trying to process what had transpired, the happiness, the bliss he felt rapidly erased, replaced with confusion, and hurt.

Why? Why did she push him away? The kiss… there was so much to it than simple lip-to-lip contact. It was the greatest thing he ever felt in his life, so soft and sweet, and most of all, he could feel her lov-affection, the passion, longing. That moment, he felt her kiss conveying her undisclosed thoughts, her untold feelings, confessions. For the first time in his life, he felt wanted, needed, even, by someone, someone who actually was grateful for him living.

And yet, she pushed him away. Pushed him away like how many others did in his life. Except Rin was far more cruel, far more malicious than throwing rocks or hitting him with wooden bats. No, he gave her his heart, and she shattered it, without even saying why.

He was confused, lost, hurt, betrayed, angry, sad, torrents of emotion pouring out of him. He refused to cry, because what was the point? Nothing would change, nothing.

He was always alone, on his birthdays, on Christmas, on social gatherings, through good times and bad, he was alone. He was fine with this, because, as far as he knew, no one in this world ever cared about him, ignored his very existence, or cursed his life high and hell. He was born alone, would live alone, and die alone, without even anyone knowing he ever existed, like a small candlelight flickering away in the wind. He accepted this, because he knew no matter what he did, no matter how hard he tried, it would never work. A life of solitude, that was his destiny. He long stopped fighting against it, because frankly, he just got tired of fighting against the greater force.

And then, Rin Kagamine entered his life, slowly filling in the large, gaping void of loneliness inside him, healing him, completing him. For the first time, he had a purpose, a reason for living, a reason to wake up every morning, a reason to breathe, every minute, every second.

When Rin left, the void returned, growing even larger than ever before.

He was alone, that wasn't anything new. Yet after this, he never felt so alone in his life.

* * *

xxXxx

* * *

She was running. Running. Running as fast as her feet could carry her. She didn't know where she was running. Didn't know, didn't care. All she wanted to do was run, run and run.

She briefly noticed that she was at the carpark, not far from where her bike was parked. Not wasting a moment she hopped on, jammed in her helmet, slammed the motor into gear, and drove off, not noticing a tealette trailing behind her discreetly.

Rin didn't know where she was driving, driving to wherever her mind pointed to. Which turned out to be the deserted section again, the abandoned building standing not far from where she pulled her break. Swinging her leg over, she slumped on the ground, her hands covering her face as she wept. Again. How sad.

She felt soft arms around her, and without hesitation she buried her head into Miku's shoulder, shuddering and sobbing with tears. Miku could only give her reassuring pats on her back, hugging her close. After some time, when Rin's emotional outburst was reduced down to sniffles, Miku asked, "Rin, honey? What's wrong, sis?"

Rin was glad she had someone like Miku, someone so kind and understanding, someone who was there for her through good times and bad. Miku was the best sister she ever met, and for that, she was grateful. Knowing that Miku was going to be there for her, she launched into her explanation, "Miku…"

* * *

xxXxx

* * *

Tei Sukone would've cackled madly in delight, were she less cunning and more foolish, like her idiot blonde 'friend' who was slumped on the ground, her eyes wide open in disbelief, mumbling, "It can't be. She… he… they couldn't…" like a broken doll.

Her plan was slowly coming to its completion. She just needed to play her cards right, then, in the end, she'll finally get what she wants; revenge.

Keeping her thoughts in check she asked, her voice thick with concern, "Neru, I know what you saw was rather shocking, but please, you need to calm down-"

"Calm down? CALM DOWN?! After what I just saw, my bitch of a sister backstabbing me and taking Len away from me, and you're telling me to CALM THE FUCK DOWN?!" Neru shrieked hysterically, tears cascading down her eyes. She was close to losing it, allowing her anger, jealousy and frustration to swallow her whole, blinding her of rational thoughts and minds, changing her into vengeance itself. Excellent…

"Listen, Neru, I understand how you fe-"

"What would YOU know? You never had to go through what _I _did, so how can you say that?" Neru cut her off, still visibly upset.

"Believe me, Neru, I know how it feels, because Rin also separated me from _my _lover, as well."

Neru stared at her in disbelief, before whispering, "What?"

Tei nodded. "Thanks to her, I lost my boyfriend for a long time, before I was finally able to meet him again. It's her fault, everything was ruined because of her."

Neru continued to gape at her, and Tei continued, "It was horrible, all those years of separation… which is why I don't want _you _to go through the same thing. I don't want my friend to feel the pain I've felt, so I'm offering you a chance to stop this. Put this to an end."

Neru gulped audibly, "How?"

Tei inwardly smirked, the bait was thrown, now all she needed to do was to play the waiting game. "It all traces back to Rin, so, logically, she's the person we need to take care of, right?"

"R-Rin?"

"Yes, her."

"…"

"Listen, Neru, it's either let her loose and cause even more problems, or, take up the situation with our own hands and see to it. Your choice."

"…Fine, I'm in. But how are we going to do it? She knows how to fight, us two alone won't stand a chance!"

Tei resisted the urge to laugh, "That's simple. Remember my boyfriend? Well, he's brought some of his own friends to help us out, so we'll be fine."

"…Alright, then. So, what do I need to do?"

Hook, line and sinker, Tei smirked. This was almost too easy, for someone who could hack into just about any software and breach through even the national security system, Ney Futapie sure was a gullible fool, or was it blind love-struck fool? It didn't matter, in the end, she was going to be removed from the equation, along with Rin, her sisters, and anyone else associated with them.

"Alright, so this is what you need to do…"

* * *

**Mm, can you smell that, cliche, fresh from the oven. Smells delicious, right?**

**Yes, I'm well aware that this chapter was (probably) painted with cliches here and there. Can't be helped, though, seeing how I never had much of romance in my life (try never) so I don't know how people would react when they're in love. Which means much of the content written above is guesswork on my part, that, and I was high as fuck during then, so whenever you read the bits that makes you go "wtf?!", then blame the chocolate cakes :D**

**The jealousy bits are inspired from Shakespeare's work, _Othello. _The story has a tragic ending, with jealousy used as one of the main theme. It's worthwhile reading, so feel free to check it out. **

**As usual, rate and review! Feel free to leave suggestions or whatever, they'll be appreciated.**

**Ja ne!**


	6. Silent Tears

**Chapter Six – Silent Tears**

**Well, here's chapter six. So, uh, enjoy!**

* * *

Out of the four Rebel Sisters – heck, out of her whole somewhat dysfunctional family – the only one with long history of dating records was probably her teal-haired sister, currently single after her seventh breakup barely a month or so ago. Given that, Rin thought that when it came to matters of relationships, Miku was probably the best person to turn to for advice. And for comfort, like how she was doing now.

"Rin, it's okay, tell me what happened."

Wiping her tears from her eyes, she launched into her tale, describing their usual sparring, the accident, impulsive kiss, leading up to the present, where she ran away without even knowing why, her mind practically drowning in a sea of emotions, confusion, bliss, _fear._

"Why, Rin? Why did you run away?"

If only she knew the answer herself, her mind was fucked up enough as it was, and was currently incapable of drawing the logical conclusion behind her impulsive action. Why _did _she run away?

"I wish I knew…"

"…"

"Maybe… just maybe… it was because I was… _afraid._"

"Why?"

"Because…" Because she knew, deep down, there was a side of her that wanted to depend on others, rather than being the anchor for others. She wanted to be protected, instead of being the protector. Leaning on for support, rather than being the pillar of strength for others like she always has been.

And maybe that's what made her so afraid. The feeling of being vulnerable, exposed, helpless, it was everything against her usual self; strong, confident, and independent. She was always the strong one, protecting her sisters from bullies ever since her childhood, even now. She was their guardian, the unbeatable, unconquerable Rin. That was how she was, and that was how it was supposed to be.

And now…

She was at a conflict with herself; her hearts clashing with her mind. The sudden newfound desire of dependence against her very personality. She hated being weak, hated being helpless, trapped and pinned down, unable to move, unable to act, while fear slowly smothered her alive. Wasn't that why she picked up Aikido? To become stronger, so that no matter what happened, she would always come through, fighting to protect those important to her?

"I-I don't know what to do, Miku…"

"Rin…"

"What do I do? What can I say? What am I supposed to be?"

"Rin, don't take it the wrong way, but I think you're being an idiot."

Rin gaped at the tealette, "…What?"

Miku sighed, "Look, I know this is the first time you've ever experienced something like this before, but you're thinking with your mind and not with your heart."

"My… heart?"

"You're trying to process love with logic. The thing is, love can't be defined with logic. You just can't. Only your heart knows what to do, and you're too engrossed with your mind that you neglected to listen to what your heart is saying."

"…"

"Rin, just forget trying to think. Simply listen to your heart; what is it telling you?"

"I… I-"

"Rin?"

Silently, she closed her eyes, letting her body to relax as she tried to shove her mind to the corner of her mind. Aside from her insecurities and fear, what did she feel?

What did she feel about Len?

Despite the relatively short period to time, she knew that Len was important to her. They were kindred spirits, sharing connections deeper than 'just friends'. He made her pulse race, delving deeper into her, past her strong front and reaching the side of her that she concealed from the rest of the world, even from her families.

Inwardly she sighed; perhaps she was thinking too much. At the same time, though, she was wondering whether she was giving enough thoughts behind it all.

"Listen, Rin. I know this whole 'love' drama is flippin' your mind, but something you have to know, love is different for everyone."

"Really?"

Miku nodded, "You'd think that 'love changes people' is just a phrase, but there's a lot of truth behind it. When people are in love, well, different people perceive it in different light. For some it's all rainbows and sunshines, while for some it's a maelstrom of emotions, pain, and suffering. In the end though, love is something everyone desires because no matter what happens, nothing is greater and more wonderful than being with that 'special person'."

Rin reflected on her words, noting how they carried some elements of truth in it. Love wasn't a stroll down the park; it was a lot more complex, a long road of hardships, pain, and trials. But deep down, she somehow knew, that in the end, they will be able to overcome any obstacles, because they loved one another, enough to be there in times of good and bad.

With that, she came to her own conclusion – though she still didn't fully understand romantic love, she knew that if she was with Len, she knew that the two of them would be able to come to better understanding of what it was.

Rin looked at Miku, determination shining in her tear-swollen eyes. "Miku, thanks. I think I know what I need to do now."

Miku nodded happily, glad to see her sister back to her usual self. Before she could say anything, though, she was cut off by a gruff voice, "That you do, you bitch."

The two turned around, surprise splashed across their face as they took in the sight of several guys standing not far, their eyes burning with hatred. The man who stood at the centre took off his hood, revealing a face they vaguely remembered seeing before.

"Y-you're-!"

"So glad that you remember us, Rin. It was few years ago, on that day, when you helped ruin my life, leaving me to rot in that damned cell. You know, not a day went by without me thinking about you, you were in my mind all the time, you know that?" Akaito snarled.

When he got no response from Rin, he simply continued, "Yeah, all those years, every day, every night, every hour, every minute, every seconds, even, I so wanted to beat the shit out of you, cut you up, and do unimaginable things like you won't believe! It was like a drug, you know? The very thought of you in pain, in misery, making your life a hell, man! I got so fucking high, I couldn't even piss straight!" He laughed, hints of maniac saturated in his gruff voice.

"Sick fuck…" Rin scowled, so disgusted by the man it almost made her nauseous. Either this guy was born a nutjob, or the years in prison must've loosened several bolts from his head. Most likely both.

Akaito merely smiled at the insult, as if he was taking that as a compliment. He stepped closer to the duo, in a deliberate, slow motion, like a predator before a cornered prey. His henchmen on either side of him mimicked his action, slowly taking out their weapons, ranging from rusty iron pipe, to sharp, jagged knives that glinted ominously in the afternoon sunlight. One of them even had a long wooden bat that had nails hammered in, something that made Miku visibly flinch, her action elicting a chorus of mocking laughter from the gang.

'_Shit, there's too many of 'em. Just the two of us won't cut it.' _Rin thought, gritting her teeth as she tried to come up with a solution to combat their current predicament. So far, there was eight of them, counting Akaito, all armed, against two smaller girls, one who could fight and one who couldn't.

The odds were not in their favour. And the scale continued to tip further as a car approached them, coming to a halt not far from the gang.

'_Great, just fucking great. More reinforcements, as if the situation wasn't shitty enough already.' _Rin inwardly cursed, fear and despair slowly creeping into her mind, slowly crippling her psyche. As the car opened, she was surprised that only two girls got out. One of them who was… someone she vaguely recalled seeing before but didn't really know, her long white hair and blood red eyes glinting dangerously as they locked gazes, and the other…

Beside her, Miku gasped in surprise, "Neru?! What're you doing?"

True enough, their blonde sister was standing side-by-side with Tei, though she looked rather nervous, her gaze shifting between her sisters, the white-haired girl beside her, and the gang. Tentatively she asked, "Uh, Tei? Who're these people?"

Tei sighed in exasperation, "I told you, remember? My friends who will help us out? Well, these are the guys." She then proceeded to walk up to Akaito, before leaning on her tiptoes and locking lips with the red-haired convict, who returned the kiss with just as much passion.

"Uh, what the fuck?!" was all Rin could manage, vocalising whatever thoughts conveniently popped up in her mind. Her thoughts were mirrored in her sisters, though unlike Rin, they weren't brave enough to orally express their thoughts.

"How rude, I was getting acquainted with my boyfriend, and you just had to ruin it, like you did for years. Why don't you, I don't know, piss off or something?" Tei scoffed in anger. Rin scowled in return, flipping the white-haired girl the bird, something which greatly displeased the said goth.

Discreetly, Rin whispered, "Miku, try to get in contact with the others. Things are gonna get messy, and we'll need our cavalry."

Nodding, Miku quickly flipped out her cellphone, before furiously punching the number pads and desperately pleaded for her brothers to take the call. Unfortunately, her hopes were dashed, as her phone was frozen dead, not responding to her desperate commands. "It's not working! Something's wrong with my phone!"

Biting back a curse, Rin fished her pocket for her own mobile device, only to have hers in a similar condition. "How-"

"I-it was me." Rin couldn't believe it, Neru did this? What did she do? Why?

"I'm not a cyber hacker for nothing, I hacked your phones wirelessly. Don't even try, you're cut off from the world, at least, until _I _say so." Neru said, a smug look on her face as she took in the identical look of shock on her sisters' features.

"Fuck, Neru! Why?!" Rin shouted in anger.

"Neru, why?" Miku asked, her eyes glistening with tears as she looked at her sister in new light.

To her credit, Neru looked rather uncomfortable at her act of betrayal, though held her gaze. What came out of her mouth then dropped the bombshell on the sisters, "Why? Funny you should ask that, when _you _were the one to stab me in the back first! How could you?"

"Neru, what the fuck are you going on about?"

"Having memory problems? _You _got in between me and Len, _you _were the one who made him drop me, and _you _were the one pulling the strings behind it all, kissing Len and taking him away from me! What do you have to say to that?"

Rin was flabbergasted, "How'd you-?"

"We saw it," Tei interjected, looking smug. "We watched the whole thing, how you latched on to him and took advantage of him and everything. Really, Rin, I thought you were better than that, whoring yourself out and acting like a slut? Tut tut."

"Eat shit and die, bitch." Rin snarled, restraining her anger. She knew better than to take the bait; once she lost herself in anger, she would act irrationally, and that basically spelt 'game over'. She should know, since she used the very same tactic on many fights before.

A quick cursory glance and she knew that she had to come up with a plan, fast. It was pretty much a given that they wouldn't last long against armed combatants, and at the moment Miku was more of a dead weight than anything else. In fighting, at least.

She made some crazy, fucked-up decisions in her life, some amusing, some painful. Regardless of the consequences, though, she always, _always, _put her family before her.

So it didn't take her long to come up with her plan.

"Miku, I'll try and give you some opening, and when you see one, get the hell out of here, fast, okay?"

"What? No! What about you?!"

"I'll be fine, don't worry about me, just get ready."

"But-"

"Miku!"

"…okay."

On a silent countdown, the gang raised their weapons and charged, running towards the two unarmed girls. Rin, getting into her stance, braced herself, then lashed out, her well-timed roundhouse catching a thug off-guard, the impact throwing him off his feet. Using the downed thug as a springboard, she executed a mid-air split kick, knocking two beefy thugs on their back.

She turned to her teal-haired sister, "Now, Miku! Go!"

Reluctantly, Miku ran through the gap, narrowly avoiding a thug lunging at her, before he got a face full of knee, courtesy of Rin, who stood in front of them like a barricade.

Miku looked back at Rin, fear, sadness and worry etched on her face. Trying to alleviate her fear, Rin managed a small grin and a thumbs up. "Don't worry, just go!"

Nodding, Miku kicked off the break on her bike, started the motor, and drove away. As the remaining gang tried to follow her, Rin stood in their way again, fists clenched, daring them to make their move. "If you fuckers wanna get to her- actually, nah, should've been "you'll never get to her." Now, come and get it, you fuckwads!"

"Damn, that bitch got away! Now what do we do?" Akaito fumed, turning to Tei, who simply stood there, a blank look on her face. Shrugging, she replied, "She's not really any of our concern. She can run, but she won't last for long. Besides, we came her for Rin, not her sister. And we have her, right where we want her to."

Smirking, Akaito brandished his makeshift spiked bat, walking closer and closer to Rin, who was struggling against other thugs as they attacked her with their choice of weapons.

Rin was strong, but against armed opponents…

She let out a gasp in pain as one goon got in a lucky hit, bludgeoning her on the back, making her stagger in pain. For a moment her guard was down, though that was more than enough for the rest as they converged on her, battering her relentlessly.

* * *

xxXxx

* * *

Miku wasn't too fond of speed, unlike her firebrand of a sister, her mind kicking into instant panic mode if the needle pointed anywhere above the 90's. However, necessity won over her fears, her blood pounding in her head, making her sick with worry and desperation. She hated leaving Rin behind, and saw through her valiant attempt at trying to put up a brave front for her sake, and this only made her worry all the more.

Not for the first time, she cursed herself for being so… _weak. _It was the same scenario every time, Miku, Gumi and Neru get harassed, by guys and girls alike, and Rin always had to save their asses. Every time. She was there for her sisters, and now, she was leaving Rin behind. What kind of a sister did that make her?

Gritting her teeth, she shoved self-hatred to the recess of her mind, instead focusing on the next course of her actions. She knew that her affiliations as the Rebel Sisters didn't really leave a good impression with the law enforcers, but she knew that she had no choice. With that, she sped up until she screeched to an abrupt halt at the police station.

Without hesitation she jumped off her bike, and slammed the door open, running towards the reception, where a middle-aged officer sat, stunned and mouth agape. "Hey! What're you-"

"Please, you need to help me! I mean, my sister, she's, she's in danger, she's being attacked by armed gang and she's all alone and she's in danger and ohmygod-!"

"Miss, miss! Calm down, now, speak slowly. What's going on?"

Taking deep breaths to calm her frayed nerves, she spoke, in much calmer tone, "My sister, we were attacked by several guys armed with weapons. She told me to run, so I did and came here to get help. You have to reach her quick! She, she's in danger, they're going to hurt her real bad, and, and-"

"Miss, look here, we-"

"Look here, mister, we don't have time to play twenty-questions! Those sick fucks are gonna hurt my sister and I'll be damned if I don't do something, or rather, if _you people _don't do something!" Miku cut him off angrily, her eyes glistening with angry tears.

"Alright, miss, listen up! As much as we want to help you, our hands are already full, with all other officers already out there in the city, hunting down escaped criminals, so your sister will have to take care of herself. If not, then get some friends to help you out, just not here."

Miku stared at the officer in disbelief, "Someone is about to get hurt real bad, killed even, and all you can say is that you can't be bothered to get off your ass and do your job?! What kind of an idiot are you?!" she shouted.

"Don't you take that tone with me, young lady!" The officer shouted back, "As I said, there's no one available to help you at the moment, and that's not _our _fault! In case you haven't noticed, we ARE doing our job, catching criminals and keeping the city safe! If you had _any _idea what our job's like on daily basis, then I suggest that you keep your opinions to yourself, because frankly, your opinions are neither needed nor wanted!"

"Oh yeah, it's not because of you people that the security was so crap that the criminals managed to escape, roaming the streets doing god-knows-what to people like my sister, who has to take part in cleaning up your mess! _Now _I see how it is – with supposed law-enforcers as incompetent as you, it's a miracle that this city hasn't become a remake of live GTA!" Miku shouted, before stomping out, taking care to slam the door hard behind her.

She yelled in frustration, just what was wrong with these people? If they won't do their job, then she'll find others who would deliver justice in their stead. With that thought in mind, she drove off, setting her course to one place she knew she would get real help from.

Home.

* * *

xxXxx

* * *

Weekdays were rather busy, especially on Fridays, the day when the weekend relaxation mode started kicking in, putting many in cheery moods. Usually it was Meiko's shift during Friday afternoon, polishing beer glasses and whipping up special blends of cocktails that gave that addictive fuzz to the locals who visited the pubs. Luckily for her, though, it was her day off, meaning that she had an extra day, plus the weekends, to immerse herself in her favourite choices of poisons, nursing the mother of hangover the very next morning. It was her weekly ritual, one which she followed almost religiously.

So far she didn't drink much, though, yet. She only downed one bottle of sake, which, to someone with extraordinarily high tolerance for alcohol, was like drinking soda, a bitter one at that. Sake went well with fish, and that was usually Luka's expertise, who was currently (and conveniently) humming around the kitchen, preparing dinner for her family.

"Is it done yet?" Meiko whined softly, unable to contain herself as she was assaulted with barrage of delicious scents that wafted from the kitchen. Luka poked her head through the door, "No, not yet. Just wait for a bit longer, please!"

Grumbling, she sat back on the sofa, eyeing the clusters of sake bottles propped up on what the family dubbed as 'Meiko's table', a large, expansive round polished wood that could've potentially been used as a large family table, but didn't. Now, all it held was countless chilled bottles of different brands of wine, gin, just about anything that contained yeast excrements that people worldwide (including herself) was so fond of.

Come to think of it, why did people love drinking yeast shit? Hmm, an excellent question in itself, but personally, she didn't really care, let philosophers or some other people ponder upon this great mystery, she mused, while she daydreamed about alcohol. There was a saying, "life is like a fine glass of wine, you can't study it, so enjoy it." Whatever the hell that meant, anyway, she was only focused on about the 'wine' part, and not much to everything else.

She was brought out of her reverie by the sharp vibration of her phone against the wooden table, emitting a loud noise that, to Meiko, was tantamount to nail across the chalkboard. Who dared to disturb her thoughts, such bad timing, too. She wasn't feeling all too chipper, her stomach was growling in hunger, while her mind was screaming at her to drink the damn sake already. So all she could manage when she answered was, "What do you want?!"

Her irritation immediately cleared away, replaced with worry and concern when Miku's voice cried out in desperation, "Meiko, please, get everyone, quick! Rin's in danger, no time to explain, get everyone and head to Sector 46, you know, the abandoned section. Hurry!"

"Fuck," she immediately stood up, "Samurai-guy and ice-cream freak's out at the moment. I'll call the eggplant freak, you call Bakaito, all right?"

"Okay, thanks! And hurry!"

Luka peeked through the kitchen door, "Is something wrong?"

Meiko nodded, "No idea what happened, but apparently, Rin's in danger, at their usual area. Find Gumi and Neru, and let them know."

"Oh god, Rin?" Luka asked, worry and concern thick in her voice. "Gumi's upstairs, haven't seen Neru, though."

"Whatever, just find whoever you can and send them to Sector 46 or whatever, I'll get my car and drive there."

"Miku?"

"She just called, think she's on her way here."

Nodding, she turned off the gas stove, slipped out of her mittens and apron, and rapidly walked upstairs, while Meiko grabbed her coat off the hanger in the hallway, and quickly walked to the garage. She was joined not too later by Gumi, confusion and worry etched on her face.

Before either could say anything, a familiar roar of motorbike engine reached their ears, the motorbike and its owner making their appearance a short moment later. Taking off her helmet, she quickly said, "Come on, we need to move!"

"Wait, what about the police?" Gumi asked.

"Forget about those idiots! They said that they were 'too busy cleaning up their mess' which wouldn't have happened in the first place if they did their job properly!" Miku hissed in anger, surprising the brunette and the greenette. It was unusual to see Miku so pissed, seeing how she was usually the 'sweet and smiley' one of the family. But then again, given the circumstances, it was understandable, so neither said anything, simply following her commands and driving out.

"Wait, you two go ahead, find Kaito and Gakupo, it'll be a lot faster for you two to get to them and pick them up rather than wait for them to turn up on their own." Miku said, turning in opposite direction.

"Where are you going?"

"We need all the help we can get. I know another person to turn to for help. Just trust me on this, and go!"

Meiko and Gumi knew better than to challenge the irate tealette, lest they stroked the fire. Instead, they simply nodded in affirmation, before driving away in the opposite direction. Knowing that she was on a race against time, she kicked her motorbike into gear, before driving off, all the while frantically searching for the person she needed to find.

Luck hasn't abandoned her, it seemed, for she was able to pick out probably the only blonde guy with ponytail among the crowd. Ignoring the curious stares from the bystanders in the vicinity, she called out to him, "LEN!"

Said blonde turned around, and part of Miku's mind registered how sad he looked, his shoulders slumped as if he was carrying a heavy burden, his usually dull eyes looking more lifeless than before, it almost felt like looking at a corpse.

Normally, being the girl she was, she would've offered him a comforting hug, and if need be, a shoulder to cry on before doing her best to cheer him up, but the urgency of the situation didn't leave a room for pleasantries, "Len, Rin's in danger, she needs help, quick! Hop on, there's no time to waste!"

"…Rin?"

"Len! Please, there's no time, we need to go, right now!"

The broken look on the boy deepened, a dark look on his face which she didn't recognise. Was it just her imagination, or did he look a little angry and a little sad? She didn't know what happened, but she knew that currently, Rin was the one whom she needed to tend to, so she barked, "Hurry up, for god's sake!"

Wordlessly he hopped on, a grim look on his face. Not giving herself any time to ponder on the story behind, she re-started the motor, though when they reached the main road, a crestfallen look flashed across her features as they came across a busy traffic.

"Fuck! Damn traffic, we'll never make it on time!" She swore, not caring about profanity. She felt Len getting off, and before she could open her mouth to say anything, Len simply said, "Move."

"H-huh?"

Len sighed, "Move, I'll drive."

"Bu-but, how? There's so many cars, and-"

Ever the silent one, Len gently pushed her back, taking her spot as the driver. Before Miku could blurt out, "Can you even drive this thing?", Len kick-started the bike, before speeding into the traffic rush.

When they were closely approaching the truck in front, instinctively Miku closed her eyes. With so many cars they were going to crash, and they were going to die! What was with this guy, did he have a death wish or something?

Instead of the sickening _crunch _against metal as she expected, she was surprised when nothing hit them. Hesitantly, she cracked open her eyelids, and was amazed when Len expertly manoeuvred his way through the masses of vehicles, slipping in and out of the narrow spaces between cars at opportune moments, without even bumping into anything.

"Where is she?" Len asked over his shoulder, keeping his eyes focused on the road all the while.

Miku, caught off-guard by sudden question, brought herself together before answering, "Sector 46, the abandoned section on the outskirt of the city. Please hurry!"

Len didn't answer, merely gripping the handle tighter, speeding up a bit more as they quickly made their way towards Rin.

'_Rin,' _Miku thought in desperation, _'Please hang in there, we're coming!'_

* * *

xxXxx

* * *

"F-fuck…" Rin spat out blood from her mouth, cringing slightly at the taste of iron filling her mouth. Wiping blood on her sleeve, she looked up, letting out a small smirk at the sight of few goons on the ground, unmoving, lying on their own pool of blood.

She thought she's done rather well, considering she went toe-to-toe with eight armed guys, unarmed, and managed to down about three, though she took some serious hits herself. Her whole body was sore, her head was spinning a little, and she knew that one of her ribs was broken, thanks to a sucker kick she got earlier when she wasn't paying attention. He got a hard kick in the scrotum, followed by knee to the face for his work, but even so, she knew she was far from winning.

On the side, the two girls watched, Tei in unconcealed glee while Neru watched with anxious look on her face.

Panting, she managed to stand up, before barely raising her arms in time to block a punch from a thug. Quickly she grabbed his arms, before mustering all her strength to throw her heavier opponent over her shoulder, slamming him into the ground, eliciting a yell of pain as bone hit the asphalt.

Exhausted and sore, she dropped on her knees, panting hard and fast, until she collapsed on her back, clutching her stomach, yelping in pain when a heavy boot collided with her abdomen. The new, fresh wave of pain caused her to cry out in pain, while resisting the urge to retch and cough up blood.

Her vision blurry in pain, she could vaguely see an outline of Tei and Neru walking closer, until they were only several feet from where she lay. Before the thugs raised their weapon to beat her like piñata, Tei raised her hand, "Stand down."

"Oh, you poor, silly girl. You really should've learned to keep your head down, mouth shut and mind your own damn business. But no, instead you just had to be so damn nosy, poking your nose into other's affairs, causing problems left and right. Well, now you know that every actions have consequences, and you just met your's. Unfortunately, you made quite a lot of mistakes, so we're not done yet." Meeting the gazes of the thugs and Akaito, she nodded, "Continue."

Letting out a small laugh, the remaining thugs and Akaito converged on Rin, raising their weapons. However, they were disrupted by a sound of motor that seemed to grow in volume rapidly, until it came right next to them.

Two nameless thugs were sent flying before landing on the concrete pavement in a sickening _crunch, _their necks bent in unusual angles, blood pooling from where their neck has been torn off.

The motorbike and its riders were more fortunate, merely falling on the side as the vehicle collapsed on its side from the momentum. The riders shook themselves off, faring far better than the fallen gangs.

Akaito was enraged, "You fucking little bastards!"

Len took off his helmet, surprising all who were present.

"Len-kun?"

"That guy…"

"Len…?" Rin weakly called. Immediately Len and Miku ran towards Rin's fallen form, cradling her in his arms. Rin, already weakened and sore, only leaned closer to him, savouring the warmth of his body.

"Rin…" Len muttered, her presence, her gesture, her touches brought back the old feelings of happiness and pain, the memory of the kiss and her pushing him away resurfacing in his mind. Shaking his head in an attempt to clear his mind, he gently laid her on the ground, and muttered, "Look after her."

Miku nodded, tending to Rin as best as she could, while Len walked towards the scumbags who dared to hurt his Rin. Feeling surge of anger inside him, he sprinted towards them, letting rage and anger fester and course through him. For once he didn't care whether he lost control or not, they dared to hurt Rin, and for that, they were going to pay, with their lives, if necessary.

Snarling, he viciously kicked a goon in the head, breaking his nose, causing blood to erupt from the damage. Sidestepping a knife thrust, Len grabbed his arm, twisted it around and brought it up on his shoulders, burying the knife in the thug's own shoulder with his own arm. Howling in pain, the thug didn't see a fist rocketing towards his face, knocking him off his feet.

He staggered a little when another thug struck him from behind with the iron pipe. As he tried to retaliate, a large _bang _echoed through the area, before Len dropped on one knee, clutching his bleeding shoulder. He hissed in pain, it felt like being stabbed by a white hot jagged knife. Growling, he looked up to see the white-haired girl smirking at him, a silver handgun in her hand.

Beside her, Neru stared in astonishment and horror. "NO! What're you doing?!"

"Shut up, you idiot." Tei said coldly, stopping Neru in her tracks. Neru screamed out, "You weren't supposed to shoot him, what's gotten into you?!"

"Whatever, we do this my way, and if you don't like it, then you can go fuck yourself."

Ignoring Neru, she motioned the remaining gang to continue, which they did. Len, crippled by his gunshot wound, was unable to retaliate properly, and soon was lying on the ground, curled up in foetal position, as the thugs surrounded him and rained blows on him.

On the side, Rin stirred awake, albeit still dazed. Her blurry vision was starting to clear, the familiar shade of teal strand comforting Rin somewhat, "M-miku? Is that you?"

"Oh god, Rin, you're okay!"

Rin coughed, "Y-yeah, I think so. Wh-wha-?"

"Oh no, Len!" Miku screamed.

Len! That's right, he was here, wasn't he? Rin turned to look at Len, only to watch in horror as Len was beaten, his blood drawn by the sharp spikes on Akaito's bat as he whacked Len again and again, a psychopathic grin on his face as he did so.

"LEEEEN!" Rin screamed out in fear, momentarily forgetting her pain, and stood up, before half-running half-limping to where he had fallen, "LEEEEN!"

The thugs moved away from Len, looking amused at the display of affection before them; Rin had Len cradled against her body like how he did with her not so long ago, though she was silently crying, gently caressing his blood-matted hair and face.

"Aw, how touching. Would you look at that, it's so sweet I feel like puking my guts out." Tei snorted, while the gang laughed. Neru looked ready to break down in tears, though she said nothing.

Tei walked closer to the fallen duo, the gun still held in her hand. "You see, Rin? You feel pain, hurt, at seeing someone you love getting hurt, right? That's exactly how I felt, back when you helped beat up my boyfriend Akaito and locked him up behind the cells to rot, while leaving me alone. You never knew how it felt, but now you do, and just look at you, so pathetic, looking so weak and helpless."

She cocked the gun, before taking aim. "Normally, I would stop here, but you need to compensate for all those years we lost, thanks to you. You're too much of a threat to let live, so…"

Her red eyes glinting with madness, she grinned, "Oh well, it was fun. Sayonara, Rin."

Rin closed her eyes, all the fight leaving her as she faced her inevitable end. For some reason, she wasn't afraid of dying, though she did have some regrets, like not saying goodbye to her family and sisters, parting ways with her sister Neru on bad terms, and especially, not saying what she truly felt about Len. Unable to say what she wanted to tell him, what she wanted to do with him.

If this was her fate, so be it.

Tei's fingers squeezed around the metal part, and pulled the trigger.

Instead of feeling the pain she expected, she felt nothing. She felt blood splatter on her face, though it wasn't hers.

Hesitantly, she opened her eyes.

What she saw next shocked her to the core.

Len, standing in front of her, arms outstretched, his back on her, steady stream of crimson leaking out from his body.

Tei stared in shock. Neru and Miku screamed.

Then Len fell on his knees, before collapsing on his side.

That moment, as Len fell, bleeding from his wound on his chest, in her arms, Rin felt the world crashing down around her. Before she knew it, she was sobbing hysterically, calling his name frantically, "LEN! Oh god, please, not Len, NOT LEN! PLEASE!"

Everything fell silent, even the gang and Akaito looked stunned at the turn of the events, Neru slumped on the ground, bawling her eyes out. Miku wasn't faring any better, crying profusely as she took in the scene before her.

"R-rin…" Len shakily breathed out, his trembling hands reaching up to her cheek wet with tears. Rin's smaller hands clamped around his, and he let out a small smile, before his hand went limp and fell on his side, unmoving.

"LEEEEEEEEEN!"

* * *

**A/N: Muahaha, behold, the cliffhanger! What'll happen to Len and Rin now?**

**I know, seems like I torture them too much, and throw f-words like confetti, but hey, them's the breaks.**

**By the way, did people really spam Yume for updates? It was more of a joke on my part more than anything, but if it did happen, hmm...**

**As usual, thank you readers (and reviewers) for your supports! On that note, more reviews would be very, very nice, so feel free to tickle the 'Review' button ;)**

**Ja ne!**


	7. Not Alone

**Chapter Seven – Not Alone**

**-Epilogue-**

**Well, here's the final chapter to _Solitude_. It's been a while, hasn't it?**

* * *

"Fuck, wrong Kagamine." Tei muttered in annoyance. Who would've thought, the classic guy-taking-bullet-for-girl scenario happened in real life too, it seemed. Still, that act of chivalry cost him his life, all for protecting someone else's. How disgusting, she snorted. Tried to play the hero and save the damsel in distress, and got a bullet to the chest for it. What an idiot.

Still, she couldn't deny that he had his uses. His connection with Rin was her Achilles' heel, and by exploiting that she could make Rin suffer worse pain than dislocated joints and bruises.

Judging by the broken look the girl sported, Tei knew she was more than successful, enough to satiate her fill of vengeance. "Don't worry, Rin," she softly whispered, her maniac grin betraying her true intentions, "You won't miss him for long, since you're going to join him, _real soon_."

"Hey, wait a sec," Akaito interjected, "You already had your shot. I want mine."

Frowning, Tei turned to address her boyfriend, "You already had your little piñata party, so fuck off."

"You bitch, don't you talk to me that way!" the redhead roared, wrenching the gun from her grasp, before roughly pushing her off. "Learn your place, wench!"

Turning around, he raised the gun, the barrel pointing between her eyes. With a psychopathic grin, he pulled the trigger.

At least, he tried to, until his hand was cleaved off, blood spurting out from the hacked off appendage like fountain. Screaming in pain the redhead clutched his stump, before being knocked on his back as a flash of violet sped past him.

The remaining hoodlums, seeing their leader fall, ganged up on him. However, mere delinquents with little to no knowledge of fighting skills were no match for the purple-haired ronin. With practiced ease he drew his bokken and executed a flurry of slashes that rendered them immobile.

"Rin! Miku! You okay?"

"Gakupo-niisan!"

Jumping over the bodies, Gakupo ran up to his family, "What happened? Are you all right?" He then looked at Len, his head on Rin's lap. Judging by the crimson stain on his shirt around the chest area and the sound of gunfire he heard, he put the two and two together.

"He was shot in the chest." Miku said, confirming his diagnosis. Gently, he probed his fingers on the boy's neck, sighing with relief when he detected faint, but definite pulse. "He's still alive, but he needs medical attention, immediately! Call the ambula- actually, no, screw that," he said as an ice cream van drove closer and closer to the scene, the distinctive melodic chime sounding rather odd, considering the situation.

Without wasting a moment he gently scooped the boy up in his arms, making his way towards the vehicle as the rear door slammed open, revealing Meiko and Gumi sitting next to what seemed like a makeshift stretcher on the floor, a large box of first aid kits in their hands. Upon seeing the injured boy they immediately helped Gakupo in settling him down, before tending to him as best as they could.

As Miku hopped on, Gakupo realised that they were one person short. "Hold on, where's Rin?"

"Wasn't she with us just a moment ago?"

"Shit! C'mon, we gotta find her!"

"Gakupo, we need to go, this kid needs to go to hospital, ASAP!"

"Damn! Alright, Kaito, drive as fast as you can to the hospital. I'll go find Rin and catch up with you guys!"

"Are you sure?" The blunette asked in concern.

"Yeah, don't mind me, just hurry up and drive!"

Kaito rummaged through the bag on the side, before pulling out what seemed to be a police car lightbar, and attached it to the van. When Gakupo quirked an eyebrow questioningly, Kaito let out a sheepish grin, "Nicked it on the way here. Don't ask."

Gakupo swore he would revisit the issue later. For now, he had to find Rin.

* * *

xxXxx

* * *

"You really are one persistent bitch, aren't you, Kagamine?"

The trio of girls stood at the rooftop of the abandoned building, panting after series of run-and-chase through several flights of stairs. Even before the arrival of one-man cavalry, Tei Sukone took flight, running towards the abandoned building not far from where the fight took place. Neru, of course, was dragged along, forced to sprint up the lengthy sets of stairs even though her leg muscles were burning with fatigue, her throat parch-dry as she greedily sucked in air.

Rin, of course, gave chase. Tei hurt Len, and had Neru with her. Didn't take a genius to figure out the next course of action.

The interior of the building was exactly how she remembered; fallen into a state of decrepitude, layers of grime and dust coating the interior structure, with occasional crevices snaking across the walls and floors, where wild vegetation grew in disarray. The stairways didn't fare much better either, once pristine marble steps in similar state of dilapidation, the coating painted on the railings chipped off against the trials of time, exposing the vulnerable metal beneath.

With the construction in such state of deterioration, one needed to act with caution, just in case a loose floor tile gave way, or even bringing down the whole damn building down upon their head. But for now, Rin didn't really give a damn, the better part of her mind being focused on the pursuit up the unstable building, her endurance fuelled by anger and the serious need to beat the shit out of the bitch who shot Len.

Now, standing atop the forsaken apartment, easily ten storeys above the ground, the huntress cornered her prey to the aerial dead end, glaring daggers at the two girls, one who was pointing a gun to her face.

"You should've just let it go, Kagamine. You should've played dead, or something, but _no, _you just _had _to follow us all the way here, for what?" Tei blustered, "Doesn't matter, since you're here, might as well as kill you both and be done with it!"

With a deranged smile, she raised her gun, aiming for the spot between Rin's eyes, "Hahahaha! This is it, this is it! Finally, you're all gonna die, you're all gonna DIE! DIE! HAHAHAHA!"

"NO!" At that moment, Neru, who was standing beside the insane goth the whole time, sprung at her, knocking her into the ground. Due to the blonde's intervention the aim was knocked off-course, the small metal projectile sailing past, missing its intended target.

The psychopathic grin was replaced with look of fury, and the silver-haired goth backhanded the blonde, hard enough to draw blood, "You bitch!" She screamed, punching and kicking the girl in frenzy. Her wild thrashing was brought to an end when a shoulder firmly gripped her shoulder, turning her around before a fist collided harshly with her cheek, the force behind the punch enough to throw her off-balance.

"Get off my sister, you psycho!" Rin screamed, before tending to Neru, who was crying while clutching her bloodied nose. Apart from her nose, it seemed that Neru was relatively fine, compared to Rin, that is.

Make no mistake, Neru still had much to answer for. Despite the fact that Neru somewhat saved her life, it didn't change the fact that Neru betrayed her, and it still hurt. They were supposed to be sisters in all but blood, having grown up together as family from young age, supporting each other through thick and thin. All those years, all those times meant nothing to Neru it seemed, having to completely lose the ability to think rationally, blinded by her damned fantasy.

In the end, she was a fool. A real fool. But still, she was still her foolish sister, and it was her obligation to look out for her family.

"Come on, let's get out of here and get you checked up."

Still sobbing, Neru nodded, not complaining as Rin wrapped her arm around her shoulder, lifting her up on her feet and slowly making their way towards the stairs.

Then suddenly, there was a loud bang, the noise echoing throughout the scene.

The two sisters froze, before one fell on her knees, scrutinizing the spot of crimson leaking out from the abdomen with an incredulous look. Then the pain kicked in, and she collapsed, screaming in pain.

"NERU!" Rin screamed, her mental gear moving in overdrive in full panic. She lifted up Neru's shirt, frantically trying to search for something, _anything, _to help stem the blood flow from the gaping hole on her torso. When she realised that there was nothing she could do, all she could do was repeating her mantra of "It's okay, everything's going to be fine, it'll be okay." while clutching her hand, helplessly watching her sister bleed to death.

"R-rin…" Neru gasped, crimson trickling out of her mouth, mingling with her tears, "I-it hurts…"

"Neru, it's going to be okay, don't close your eyes, just keep breathing, _just don't close your eyes!" _Rin cried out hysterically, trying in vain to reassure her, although it wasn't clear as to just who she was trying to reassure, herself or Neru.

Neru's shallow rapid breaths slowed down to deep breathes, her chest motion slowly getting weaker and weaker.

"Neru! Goddamnit, Neru!"

Tei chuckled darkly, "Hehe, see, Rin? That's what happens to idiots like you and her. There's only one way to solve stupidity and that's death." The gun was back in her hand, the cold metal glinting in the orange sunset light, "Don't worry, Rin. Soon, it'll be over. You'll see your boyfriend again, and you'll meet your sister again too. Still, after all the problems you caused me, the last thing I'll give you is quick, painless death."

Lightly caressing the deadly weapon, she continued, "Where should I start? Your legs? Your arms? Your eyes? See how it feels like to be blind before you die? Your stomach, your kidney, your heart? HAHAHAHAHA!"

Rin slowly stood up, wiping her face with her sleeve, before turning around to face the demented girl. Instead of strings of curses she had in mind, her conscience was overwhelmed by intense rage, and she let out a scream of pure anger and sadness. First Len, now Neru. This couldn't go on. Something had to be done. She didn't care what she did, as long as the bitch in front of her ceased to exist.

"ARGH!" She screamed, before rushing towards Tei, who simply took aim, and pulled the trigger.

_Click. _

"Huh?" Tei looked at the gun confusedly, her fingers pressed hard against the trigger, to no avail. _Click click click. _

"Shi-!" Tei couldn't even finish the word, as the enraged huntress slammed against the murderer, the impact so big it hurled her towards the very edge of the roof, against the railings.

Tei Sukone was not a big girl, on the contrary, she was one of the smallest, classified as a lightweight. However, this didn't matter when the railings that was _supposed _to support her and prevent her from being flung over to the side was greatly weakened due to time and lack of maintenance. What should've been strong, firm steel bars were easily battered away when the girl in question collided with it, and the impact from Rin's attack became the proverbial final nail to the coffin.

Tei didn't scream, she didn't cry, she didn't panic. She simply fell, that demented grin still on her face, even as she plunged down ten storeys below and landed on the harsh asphalt with a resounding crack as gravity took their toll.

Everything started to blur, the sounds starting to muffle, as if she was being immersed in water, her body becoming so heavy, and she just felt so tired. She didn't even hear the sound of door slamming open, she didn't hear the frantic shouts in the background, she didn't even register a familiar purple-haired ronin picking her up. She felt darkness swallowing her, and soon she knew no more.

* * *

xxXxx

* * *

There were times when being a police detective had its downsides, like searching dead bodies for marks, chasing after criminals across the city in broad daylight, or even passing on bad news and condolences to distressed families whenever someone died, all being part of the job. Doing anything or whatever else that was just as unpleasant was something he really could do without.

It wasn't that he hated the job; as a matter of fact, he was passionate about his work as a law-abiding cop, having strong sense of justice and heroism, fulfilling his duty with zeal. Perhaps too much, seeing how even his girlfriend dumped him, unable to put up with his workaholic character. He never gave up on his job though, it has already been more than twenty years since the day when he first handed in his application form, assigned his first case mere days after.

As such, violence was something he was quite used to, watching clusters of fresh corpses no longer made him nauseous, at the very least. He was used to it, though that didn't really make anything easier. The case today wasn't anything new, either. He encountered crime scenes and situations where disputes between gangs and civilians spiralled out of control, leading to inevitable instances where blood were spilt, lives were taken, tears have been shed and emotional backlash was a commonplace.

And yet, every time deaths were reported and confirmed, every time when families grieved over the loss of their loved ones, Lei Wulong couldn't help but feel so helpless, frustrated, and enraged. Senseless violence only grew, casualties mounted, and not a damn thing was done about it, the crime scene at Sector 46 was the testimony of that.

The reception officer working during the time was harangued by Lei himself for his idiocy, bluntly ignoring a distress call for help from a civilian, not even bothering to contact any other officers and notifying them of the situation. Hell, the idiot didn't even write a memo! Only after watching the recorded video tape from the security camera did they realise that someone needed help. Desperately.

As soon as Lei got the details, he sped past the traffic, his sirens blaring out, drowning all other noises in the vicinity. Unfortunately, that was hours after the girl barging in, screaming for help, and he had a sinking feeling in his stomach that he may have been too late.

When he arrived, all he could see was clusters of bodies littered around the deserted highway, patches of aged concrete stained with red and brown. He was able to identify the fallen; they were part of the escaped convicts from the mass prison breakout few days ago, identified as gang members under Akaito. The redhead in question was crumpled on the ground, dead, surrounded by large pool of his own blood, mainly from the bluntly severed clump where his hand should've been.

The trail of blood drops led his investigation to the abandoned construction not far, and nauseating stench of death emanating from the side of building guided him to yet another dead body, this time that of a silver-haired girl, dull red eyes staring at nothing, her body and appendages contorted in unnatural angles, blood seeping from various wounds. The pieces of broken rusty railings told him all that he needed to know.

He left the rest to the other officers, not wanting to help them clean up their mess any more than he needed to. It was a long day, and he was drained, physically and emotionally. Before he turned in for the night, he made a note to remind himself to find the teal-haired girl and ask some questions. That was tomorrow, though. Tonight, he needed some long-awaited sleep.

* * *

xxXxx

* * *

"How are they, doctor?"

The doctor sighed, "They're both fine. The young missy here," he pointed at Neru, "she had a bullet to her abdomen, but luckily she'll live. Still, few seconds too late and she would've gone straight to the morgue. This young lady, on the other hand, is relatively fine. Cuts and bruises, but nothing serious. She'll come around sooner or later. For now, though, let them rest."

Relief spread across the features of all those present, and nodded to the doctor in silent gratitude. They were glad that he didn't pry – after all, while not rare, it wasn't really common to have people hospitalised for gunshot wounds, one even requiring a surgery.

Actually, make that two – Neru got off easy, compared to Len, whose fate still remained in the dark, the operation room still shut tight, the red light glowing almost mockingly. They may not have known the boy well, but still…

A weak groan under the white duvet drew their attention, immediately flocking towards the source of the sound and surrounding the bed, with visages of concern and relief as their precious blonde tomboy of the family woke up, albeit with a weak scowl.

"Wh-where am I?" Rin croaked, cringing slightly at how raw her voice felt, like sawdust on her vocal tract. Her vision was swirling and bombarded with colours distorting, so she took a moment to re-adjust her perception. Slight jolt of pain coursed through her body when she attempted to get up, prompting her to lie back down, groaning slightly in pain. A warm, soft hand rested against her cheek, and she didn't have to open her eyes to see who it was, "L-Luka-nee?"

"Shh, it's okay, Rin, just lie down and rest. You're in the hospital, but you'll be fine." The mother-figure of the family cooed, gently reassuring her. Nodding, she relaxed, only to tense up as the two of the four most energetic ones in the family literally threw themselves on the incapacitated blonde.

"Rin!" "Rinny!"

"Ow, hey guys, not too tight, 'kay?" Rin slightly grimaced in pain as she was tackled by Gumi and Miku, who had her locked in a tight embrace. Glancing around the ward, she could see Meiko dozing off on the side, Kaito waving at her cheerily, while Luka, Gumi and Miku were currently sitting by the side of her bed, and Neru-

"Wait, where's-"

Miku pointed at the bed behind the screen of curtain, "Neru's fine, doctor just said she needed some rest. She'll be fine, Rin."

Rin nodded in relief, whatever happened, she didn't want her _dead. _Still, as soon as Neru woke up and recovered, she was definitely going to kick the shit out of her for what she did, and put her back in the hospital.

Speaking of which…

"What happened to, you know, _them_?"

"They've been dealt with by the police. As for you, Gakupo-nii found you and brought you back."

Her mind sharpened, the memory of the events transpired in the not-too-distant-past flowing back into her conscience, the chase, the gunshot, even when she struck the crazed girl off the roof as her anger took over her.

She then noticed the absence of the ronin in question, "Hang on, where's Gakupo-nii?"

No one answered right away, awkward silence wafting thick in the air, before Luka hesitantly answered, "He's checking up on Len."

Len! By the gods, how could she have forgotten him? Then she remembered, the painful scenes of watching Len getting shot, his hand falling limp on his side, his life slowly seeping out of him, pooling around his unmoving, cold frame…

"Len? Len! What happened, where is he, is he alright?! Answer me, goddamnit!" Rin bolted upright from her bed, ignoring the stabs of pain at her sudden movement, frantically looking for Len around the ward, her voice shaking and bordering on the tip of hysteria. Luka, Gumi and Miku all grabbed the hysterical blonde, trying in vain to keep her in her bed.

"Rin! Calm down, and listen to me!" Miku shouted. As Rin stopped sobbing, she lowered her voice to a much gentler tone, "Rin," Miku _really_ wasn't looking forward to this, but she had no choice, and she dropped the bombshell, "Rin, Len's currently undergoing an operation, he was in a critical condition when he was brought in. The doctor will tell us the results, but that won't be for another few hours."

At Rin's stunned silence, she continued, "Rin, hold yourself together, alright? We know you're worried, but there's nothing we can do, except hope and pray for the best. Stay strong, for us, for yourself, and if not, then for Len." She then held her emotionally distraught sister in her arms, gently rubbing her back as tears welled and trickled down her sapphire depth. The observing family members all converged and conjoined in the group hug, silently conveying their support through actions.

* * *

xxXxx

* * *

Rin's gaze alternated like a metronome, several seconds she would be watching the door, and the next few seconds she would stare at the clock on the wall, scrutinizing the minute shift in the hour and minute hands, the only sound in the ward that of the rhythmic _tick-tock. _Door. Clock. Door. Clock. Door. Clock…

The tomboy sighed in exasperation for the umpteenth time, the past few hours has been nothing but pure agony for someone who could never sit still for more than few minutes, and even that required great amount of effort from her. That, and her mind was dragging her into a wild, emotional rollercoaster alternating from fear to hope, concern to anger, sadness to annoyance.

The room was empty, save for the two occupants, herself and Neru, who was still unconscious. She considered sneaking out and search Len, but the rational part of her mind won over her desires; moving around still hurt like a bitch, that, and not knowing where Len was, she was sure to get lost in the labyrinthine layout of the hospital. If that wasn't bad enough, Kaito and Meiko were on guard duty, the former simply gorging on his usual huge reserves of ice cream (despite the protests from the hospital staff) while the latter fixed her gaze to the door for even the miniscule movement, like Cerberus guarding the gate to the Underworld. While drinking.

Effectively trapped in her room, she gave up and returned to her bed, pulling the white duvet over her hospital gown. In vain she tried to lull herself to sleep, but emotional chaos refused to grant her even the most briefest of reprieve, and she once again found herself staring at the clock, her brow furrowed as she mentally willed the clock hand to move.

* * *

xxXxx

* * *

Time stretched, seconds feeling like hours, what felt like eternity merely a full revolution of the minute hand. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock…

* * *

xxXxx

* * *

When the door clicked open, Rin instantly jumped up from her bed, practically running towards the door, the question she was dying to ask on her lips, "Len, how is he?"

Miku's face was blank, neither a joyous grin nor a saddened grimace. Her voice was dull, and these details sent alarm bells ringing in Rin. Desperately trying to hold back her emotional dam, she asked, her voice shaking, "Where is he?"

"Ward 293, Second floor." Was the dull response.

All she could manage was a nod, before she bolted out of the room, towards the stairs, not realising or caring whether she ran into something, or someone. Shaking with trepidation, she entered the ward, desperately trying not to break down as she took in his state; the oxygen mask, the IV drips, the bandages wound around his pale frame. The ECG on the side was emitting series of small, quiet beeps of heartbeats, the pulses were weak and this only fed her fear, growing and threatening to devour her.

Cautiously, she approached the bedridden blonde, clutching the bedside frame to steady her unstable gait. She reached out and gently caressed his face, noting with alarm how cold it felt, almost as if he was dying…

"You're an idiot, you know that?" Rin quietly whispered, the sad tone showing that her insult wasn't genuine, "You shouldn't have tried playing the hero, it nearly got you killed. Why, Len? Why did you do it?"

She looked away, hurt visible in her eyes as she continued, "Do you remember, the first time we met? We ran into each other, and fell in a really awkward position. God, that was embarrassing. Still, I say it was your fault, if you were watching where you were going, that wouldn't have happened. But it did, and ended up with us fighting anyway."

She chuckled quietly, the memories of their first encounter surfacing in her mind. Looking back now, it was rather comical in a way, the sudden unintentional intimacy and invasion of personal space with consequential moments of awkwardness. She did admit that lashing out and throwing the first punch wasn't exactly the right attitude when pinned down (in a sense, literally) with such questionable setting. Still, what was she to do? It wasn't like she deliberately went out of her way just to lie underneath some random guy, and god that sounded wrong! The only manner of physical contact she ever made with members of Y chromosomes were when she was giving out generous helpings of fresh knuckle sandwiches delivered straight to the face, or the classic 'boot to the head'.

She took his hand on hers, softly tracing the rough calluses and fingers, as she continued to quietly recount the past. She spoke of the days that followed, sharing lunch together under his favourite tree, daily sparring where the pair challenged one another to their very limits, until they lay on the ground, their bodies aching yet still oddly satisfied. She whispered to him the time when they simply talked about nothing of import, favourite food, colours, hobbies, mundane, ordinary questions yet drawing them closer with each questions given and answered.

Why was she telling him all this, to someone who wasn't even conscious, and very well looked close to dying? An act of reassurance? For whom, him, or her? Was she trying to reassure herself that everything was going to be fine, or was she simply lying to herself, knowing the truth yet hiding from it, running away from it, not wanting to know the supposed truth? That Len wasn't going to die, and he was going to live? What if it wasn't? What if he _was _dying, and Len Kagamine would never open his eyes again? He would never breathe again, he would never laugh, would never cry again. They won't be able to take walks in the park, holding hands and eating ice creams. He would be lost from the world, and no one would ever know, like a long, distant memory, a lone flickering candlelight before the great maelstrom.

Fear, anger and sadness raged within her, and before she knew it, the emotional dam burst, "Why did you do that?! Why did you have to enter my life, and completely fucked it upside down?! Why didn't you just ignore me, pretend that I didn't exist, and go on your own way?!"

She punched the wall, ignoring the flashes of pain from her knuckles, "Why did you have to be so, so… stupid?! You got close to me, look what happened! You make me worry, you make me feel so damned weird, and, and…"

Tears trickled from her eyes, but she didn't attempt to wipe them away. Sniffling, she leaned her head on his chest, "You, you better not die on me, you hear me? You better not give up, or else I'll bring you back myself so I can beat the shit out of you for leaving me!" she whispered.

"Len, I-I…" She sighed, "Fuck it." Words weren't her forte, and as the saying went, actions speak louder than words. She pressed her lips on his, though rather than pulling away like she did last time, she deepened it instead.

After what seemed like a while, she drew back, her face bright red. That wasn't what she had in mind, but strangely enough, she found that she didn't really care, not that she would ever admit it out loud.

The rustling sound of fabric drew her attention, and much to her relief, Len stirred, grimacing and groaning as his nerves sent waves of dull pain to his awakening conscience.

"Len!"

Said male cracked open an eyelid, "Wh-wha-? Where… Rin?" he croaked.

"You're in the hospital, do you remember what happened?"

He nodded tiredly, breaking off into a large yawn, and he fell asleep once more, his light snoring the only sound in the room. Rin couldn't help but think how cute he looked when he was asleep, his features looking calm and serene, relaxed. She so wanted to give him a good whack or two, yell at him for being an idiot and making her worried before hugging the stuffings out of him. Though, right now, she was content watching him sleep, or even better, use him as a human pillow and get some shut-eye herself, both which sounded rather appealing.

Whatever future had in store for them, it could all wait for tomorrow. Tonight, she was content as she was, lying on his chest, his gentle heartbeats lulling her to sleep.

* * *

xxXxx

* * *

The last day of high school life, the graduation day, where large mass of formal suits and dress-clad adolescents congregated, chatting and talking of the future yet to come. Parents embracing their young, proud of their growth, both in body and mind, setting their first step into the real world, away from the sheltered, imaginative world of fantasy. Friends exchanging numbers, promising to keep in touch, no matter how many mountains and oceans separated them. Teachers and students, reminiscing the past years of teaching and learning, though it was never one-sided. All in all, it was a special day for all those involved, one to be remembered and treasured for life.

At least, it should've been, but for Len, the day was anything but. No parents telling him how proud they were of having a son like him, their eyes misty with emotion. No friends to share the moment with, no one. Being surrounded by people only made it worse, constantly reminding him and taunting him with what he never had, could never have, yet so desperately wanted. A childhood spent in loneliness, was he condemned to live a life of solitude?

"Len! Get over here, already!"

A familiar voice called to him, and without thinking, without hesitation, he walked towards her, the one person he considered very important. No, he was wrong. He would never be alone anymore, because she was there for him. No matter how dim and dark the world was, no matter how many times the darkness of his past caught up to him, he knew, that he would be able to prevail through it all, because Rin would be right beside him, and get through it all, together.

A smile graced his lips, small, but genuine.

* * *

xxXxx

* * *

It was strange how time seemed to fly, the past five years almost like a blur, a blink, even, as both Kagamine's personally stated, and in some ways, they weren't far off the mark.

After early graduation from the police academy, and currently on an internship under _the _Lei Wulong, life took a fairly interesting turn for the duo. One that involved stakeouts around shady parts of the city, infiltration through underground syndicates, busting counterfeit and drug rings all being part of the deal. Still, at least it was one job where they could utilise violence to _some _degree, though Rin often managed to wriggle through verbal loopholes and cause collateral damage (both places _and _people) without worrying about the consequences.

Len, of course, had to make sure his girlfriend didn't go overboard, at least, make sure she didn't blow things (and people) left and right. Otherwise, he once said, that he would have to keep her on a short leash. He realised his mistake saying that when Rin slithered up to him, her lips lightly brushing against his as she seductively whispered how she just might take him up on that offer. Apparently, she was being serious, and the two did not leave their bedroom for days, but that's a story for another time.

When Len's home was burnt down, Rin was the very first to seek him out and comfort him, bringing him with her to her home. That was also the first time when the two started to open up more with each other, to the point where Len told Rin everything; his lonely past, being abandoned, unwanted. His shameful parentage, one of the root cause to all his suffering, laid bare before her and she didn't push him away. Instead, she drew him closer to her, comforting him and crying for him and with him. It left them both emotionally drained, but it was the beginning of Len's healing.

From there on the two were almost always together; wherever she went, so did he, and vice versa. Whatever she did, he did. Studying, shopping, sparring, and later on, sleeping on the same bed, fully clothed, though they began to wear less and less as time went on. Then again, they took showers together, so it wasn't anything new…

* * *

xxXxx

* * *

"So, this is the place?"

Rin looked up from the map and answered her boyfriend, "Yep, the mission intel said so. This is the place."

Len took in the scene with an incredulous look; he wasn't sure what kind of terrorist would ever choose to hide in a large, luxurious private beach house ("Villa!" Rin corrected), unless the place was rigged with security alarms and built-in defense mechanisms. Maybe it was just one of those places the target used on holidays? The intel, speaking of which, he didn't even get to read, only Rin telling him very little, and only the two of them would be sent to deal with the case.

Looking around, he had to admit that whoever their target was, had good tastes; the expansive villa was of modern architecture, the combined elements of glass, steel and wood gave off elegant, yet relaxing homely feeling. The beach sand was pearly white, the azure water crystal clear, the tide softly brushing against the sand quietly.

Getting out of their car, the duo made their way towards the villa, stopping at the door. Len discreetly pulled out his handgun from his holster, removing the safety lock and finger on the trigger, ready to fire at a moment's notice.

Rin grabbed his hands, and lowered them, "Put that away, there's no need for that."

"Wha-?"

"Just put it away, trust me on this." She said in a firm tone that left no room for argument. Len put his handgun back in its holster, though he noticed that she seemed… nervous? And where, and how did she get the key to this place? Something was amiss.

Following Rin through the hallway, they stopped at what appeared to be the conjointment of living room, kitchen and the dining room, the plush carpet velvet soft beneath their sock-clad feet, the walls painted warm crème, and the crystalline chandelier hanging on the ceiling. Just below the chandelier was the dining table, and the sole item placed on top…

"This suitcase… could be a bomb! C'mon, give me the defusing kit, Rin!"

"It's okay, I'll do it, Len." Said Rin, taking the suitcase down on the carpet and facing Len, kneeling on one knee while she fiddled with the lock. When the lock was pried open with a small _click_, there was nothing inside, except one small box. For some reason, the box looked awfully familiar…

Rin took the box in her hand, and still maintaining her position, looked up at Len, took a deep breath, and opened the box.

The rings, two identical bands of gold with small diamonds mounted on them glistened in the light. To say Len was shocked was an understatement.

"Len," Rin began, her tone wavering a little in nervousness. She wasn't good with words, but she knew she had to get it out, and she did, spoke exactly what she had in mind. "Len, we've been couples for five years, and been friends even longer." She took a deep breath, and continued, "I really suck at giving out a speech, and since you being the clueless male you are, I just had to spell it out and get it through your thick skull. The point is, will you marry me?!" She blurted out, scowling and blushing all the while.

Len recovered from his shock, dropped down on his knee and wrapped her in his arms. "Yes, of course I will." He said, and he meant it.

* * *

xxXxx

* * *

"So, just curious, what brought this on?"

Len asked his fiancée as she curled on his chest, the two sitting on the log at the beach, the cool water brushing past their bare feet.

She pouted, "You were taking so long in asking the bloody obvious question, so being the awesome girl I am I decided to take the initiative."

"I thought guys were the ones who were supposed to propose first?" Len teased her good-naturedly. Rin lightly slapped him on the arm, though she was grinning, "If that was the case you would never have asked."

Len had to admit, she had a point there. He wasn't one to give up, though, "Nuh-uh. Not true. Maybe in a decade or so…" he trailed off defensively.

"Prat." She fell silent, and the comfortable silence wrapped around them, the gentle sound of the tide the only thing they heard in the scene. He looked at his lover, appreciating her beauty as she was bathed in the orange glow of sunset, giving off an ethereal image. He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, a content sigh escaping her lips at his gesture.

His past was full of pain and misery, a lonely life devoid of even the smallest form of affection. He was afraid of being alone, afraid of forever being locked up behind the walls of solitude, leaving him in the dark.

Now, he had a family with him, and more importantly, he had Rin whom he loved dearly, and she him. He had a bright future ahead of him, revolving around him and her, started from the twin rings on their fingers. It was a pleasant realisation.

'_I'm not alone.'_

* * *

__**A/N: Finally, the story 'Solitude' has come to its conclusion!**

**I would say, "Merry Christmas!", but that's way overdue, so let me just say that I hope you all had a great Christmas! Like, one with lots and lots of snow, 'cause it's summer down here...**

**Also, thanks a lot for sticking with me through the story, even though it could use a _lot _of improvements.**.. **That being said, continued suggestions are welcome.**

**I may or may not include another chapter later, though it probably won't be related to the story. Rather, it'll be more like along the lines of 'wtf?!' the way I'm thinking. I just need to find some _great _sources of inspiration, and if you've been following the story (more like A/N's on the past chapters) then you'd have an idea of just what these may be :)**


	8. Extra!

**Extra!**

**Like I said, a bonus chapter! Further info down in the A/N section, but for now, enjoy...?**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Vocaloid and whatever references you may recognise from this story, so there! Also, may contain a _bit _of mature contents, and a _bit _of violence and gore...**

* * *

Sector 46, the largest area devoid of life, located on the outskirt of the main city, Crypton City. After series of unfortunate accidents, like the times when the sewage tunnels burst, laying waste to better part of the area in literal sense, the inhabitants sought for refuge deeper inland, away from the accident-prone shoreline residence. If that wasn't bad enough, mudslides, low-level tsunami and liquefaction spewing from the crevices like popcorn made sure people kept their distance.

Strangely enough, the 'disasters' quietened down as soon as the last inhabitants packed up their belongings and left, leaving the buildings and constructions intact. Now all that was left was a barren ghost town, wild vegetation choking the gardens, windows opaque with layers of dust and dirt accumulated over years of negligence, paint coats slowly chipping away, leaving the metal beneath exposed to the weather, dying them brown red. Overall, the place gave off an eerie atmosphere, that sensation of chill running down your spine, the innate survival instinct setting off alarms and screaming to run, escape.

The area was sealed off with barbed wire fence, complete with the thin iron gate, both which were nothing more than heap of rust. Not that they were needed in the first place to begin with; no one would ever willingly enter, regardless of reasons.

At least, almost everyone.

A hooded figure, wearing tight jeans and black hoodies, zipped up and hood drawn, big enough to cover the visage of the stranger. This person alone ignored the signs, simply walked over the fallen rusted gate, and disappeared into the heart of the ghost town, almost casually, like one would when taking a walk in the park.

The hooded figure continued to walk, occasionally kicking odd items away from the path, and paused when the wrought iron gate came into view. Gingerly the figure drew the hood back, revealing the visage of a blonde teen, which could've been fairly attractive were it not for a dark scowl spread over her complexion, the fury in her eyes almost too obvious. Her hair loosely trailed behind her, unrestrained and wild, not her usual hairdo.

Beyond the iron gate, at the heart of this life-forsaken ghost town, there stood a large church, built in Gothic architecture, with black and grey stones. Standing tall, it looked menacing, the distinct lack of vitalising shades of colour only made the place more lifeless, dull. Surrounding the structure was the expansive courtyard, the once lush green grass reduced to mere patches of sickly yellow among sea of gritty earth, occupied by sea of ancient tombstones, the carvings dulled with age, now nothing more than masses of small stone monuments and obelisks, forgotten, nameless, faceless.

The girl cared not – she wasn't here to admire the scenery, not that there was anything worth looking at, anyway. She involuntarily shivered in disgust, just being here made her feel sick. Better get started on what she came here to do.

The heavy oaken door opened with anticlimactic _creak_, revealing dark, poorly lit interior, the air stagnant and thick with dust and dirt. Fumbling the wall for switch, she was glad when the light sparked to life, in the form of series of naked bulbs handing awkwardly from the ceiling. Thank god for back-up generators.

She walked straight down the aisle, until she stood in front of the stone altar, taking care not to look up at the large cross hanging on the wall. It's holy symbolisation was effectively ruined by the craftsmanship, the black metal compounded and distorted into spiky, frenzied mass of steel, giving off a grotesque appearance. One glance, and it only served to feed the growing fear in the hearts of the observers.

Reaching under the stone tablet, she was rewarded with a small resounding _click _as the altar was raised, revealing a small compartment big enough for one person to fit through. The secret elevator led her down underground, revealing what appeared to be a large laboratory, complete with sterile white walls, tables full of chemicals of various colours and shades within flasks. At the end there was yet another elevator, except it was far bigger, along with thick metal doors. Not wasting time she pressed the button that led her to the deepest of the floors, which also was the biggest in the whole subterranean building.

After moving down several dozen floors, the contraption finally came to a halt, and she promptly walked out, taking in the scene before her eyes; a gigantic room, spanning roughly several hundred feet high and wide. On the walls were big, white oval capsules, thousands, maybe more. At the centre was the central computer, where she typed in several command inputs, which brought the alarms to life, blaring as the thousands of identical pods hissed open, the smoke starting to file in through the area.

Neru didn't know what the pods contained, but she could hazard a guess as the area was soon swamped with guttural groans, the sound human yet at the same time, inhuman. Without wasting a moment she jumped in the elevator, hastily punching in the number that would take her back on the surface.

To think Tei had something like _this _in her grasp, and so close to the heavily populated city, too. With a sinking feeling, Neru wondered if that was the reason why Tei had this underground facility built so close to the city…

'_It doesn't matter,' _She thought, _'My job was to simply do as they said. Whatever happens after isn't my problem.' _She knew she was lying, but as long as she got her pay and left to somewhere far, far away, it didn't matter if a whole city went to hell. She ignored the stabs of guilt, and cemented her resolve. What was done was done.

Neru walked out the ghost sector, and disappeared into the unknown.

Few hours later, the first of the unholy legion walked the earth.

* * *

xxXxx

* * *

The VOCALOIDs, ex-mercernaries and now special tactical forces working for Crypton Media Corporation. Their skills were unparalleled, their expertise wide and far, very much coveted by organisations worldwide. They were the elite of the elite, the best of the best.

As such, standing and holding defensive line against the undead, and switching to taking offensive measures on the said contingent was something only they could _somehow _manage.

Right now the mission objective was thus; Hold the defensive line and protect the city. Easily said than done, though. The six VOCALOIDs were currently standing their assigned posts behind thick walls erected at the end of the main road that connected the city to the abandoned sector. Thanks to early technical warnings in this world, the ex-mercenaries were able to make relevant preparations before the dead came marching.

The first of the marching dead crept into the view in the horizon over the distance, preceded by the chorus of the moaning emanating deep from their rotten tissues. For some reason, though, they all looked identical…

"Hey, wait a minute…" a pink haired lieutenant trailed off, "Aren't they… Akaito?!"

A tall, lanky man with long violet hair took the binocular, only to confirm her observation, "Huh, you're right. What th-?"

As far as they could see, from the horizon, the cloned, reanimated armies of zombified Akaito lumbered towards them, all wearing the same white and red-seam jacket, the identical mops of dirty red hair, and saliva dribbling down their torn jaw.

"Eww, and here I thought one Akaito was bad enough…"

"Uh, I don't think that's the issue here…"

"They're coming! Get ready, all of you!" The squad's leader, a blue-haired man commanded, and the rest immediately got into their positions, waiting for further command.

"Sergeant, requesting for permission to shoot!" A young teen with lush green hair shouted.

"Not yet! Get the turret warmed up and ready to fire!" barked Kaito, and pressed a button. The ice cream van which was parked nearby suddenly unfolded like the Christmas gift box, revealing a huge machine gun turret bolted on to the floor. There was a long plastic tube connected to the side, trailing all the way into one of the several large blue plastic containers lying nearby. The greenette saluted in affirmation and ran to the turret, testing out the kinks and setting it up.

The red sea of the dead limped closer and closer, and once they stepped into an invisible target area, he pressed another button on his remote.

There was a small _click, _then everything went _BOOM! _The earth beneath the zombies exploded outwards, sending white vanilla goodness all over the area, while small, yellow nuggets spread, causing minor but regardless debilitating havoc over them.

The blunette couldn't help but let out a proud smirk; the hokey pokey landmines, was a beautiful contrast, messy, but artistic. The white vanilla ice sludge to slow them down, while the golden honeycomb toffee incendiary pellets burned them alive. Ah, works every time…

"Private, fire at will! That's an order!"

"Aye, sergeant!" Gumi was all too happy to oblige, and soon the zombies within shooting range were pelted with barrage of rainbows of coloured jelly rounds, the ammunition continuing to be sucked into the manual turret from the crates and through the tube. Goody goody gumdrops were decreasing in popularity, and rather than rotting away in some far, dark corner, better that they served better, nobler purposes, like shooting walking corpses.

Soon other VOCALOIDs joined in the fray, unleashing their own, unique weapons. Meiko rummaged through her own trailer, bringing box after box containing identical sake bottles. She resisted the urge to sniffle, her babies were growing up fast, weren't they? Just one day they were in her cradle, receiving all the love from the brunette alcoholic and the next day they were going to war, fighting with their lives.

"Go, and make your mummy proud!" With that, bottle after bottle sailed through the air, bursting into small funeral pyre upon contact, whether it was the rock underneath or the dead themselves. Either way, she knew she raised her children well, burning them fuckers to the ground, cherry red flames merrily licking up the rotten carcasses, leaving nothing but pile of ash behind.

Luka concentrated and channelled her mental power, and with magic laced in her voice, she commanded, "Come, hunters of the sea!"

The once calm ocean instantly sprung to life, the tidal waves erratic and wild, and from its untameable depth, leapt large sharks, their jaws wide open and snapping shut as they bit down to their undead prays, dragging them down to the waters with them. Small piranhas, their teeth small but sharp, ripping into their targets, tearing them apart bit by bit. Then, the sea lurched, and huge tentacles sprung forth, towering over the scene of war below, before crashing down on the army of redheads, crushing them and scattering them about. The Kraken, per its Summoner's order, wreaked havoc, rearing its grotesque head before spraying them with corrosive, jet black inks. It then withdrew back into the ocean with a final monstrous roar.

Miku clambered up the ladder on the abandoned lighthouse, and sharing a nod with Kaito who was looking up below, both pressed a certain command.

At their call, several bomber planes materialised from the air above, swooping down towards the horizon where the undead continued to emerge, and as their shutters opened, they dropped what Kaito dubbed 'special packages' on to the unholy mass below.

Chocolate ice creams, with extra tub of sugar, when mixed well, became thick enough to stand in as concrete mix substitute. This meant that the Akaito clone zombies who were hit with the cool sweet desserts were more or less rendered immobile, unable to move, an opportune moment for the tealette, who pounded the ground with her glowing fist, and hundreds, no, thousands, of sharp leeks sprouted from the ground, impaling the reanimated redheads. It was effective; messy as hell, and enough to make one vomit meals from three days ago, but effective, nonetheless.

Not wanting to be outdone, Gakupo brought up his giant eggplant shield before him, his katana in his right hand, drawn and ready to strike. Meiko followed close behind, using two empty sake bottles as makeshift club. The two took the melee to their enemies, steel singing in tempo with every rotten blood splurting from the blackened tissues, the echoing _thunk _as skulls were caved in, blood dripping from their respective weapons.

The war went on, more and more undead fell, but what they lacked in skills and finesse they made up with sheer numbers; if one Akaito went down, several more popped up to take its place. They seemed endless, and their ammunitions, physical and magical, weren't, and neither their endurance. All six VOCALOIDs looked worse for the wear, covered in sweat, grime, and blood. They were panting, each strikes, each attack weaker than the one before.

Kaito gritted his teeth, at this rate, it wouldn't be long before they were overrun. They needed supplies, reinforcements, and preferably very soon.

Luck was on their side, as the loud buzzer echoed in the air, and for a moment, everything went silent, even the dead. The zombie clones all froze in their tracks, before turning back and limped back to where they originally risen from, away from the battlefield.

The six let out a collective breath of relief, finally, a break! They all sat down, and sake bottles were passed around, courtesy of Meiko.

"Officer, what's our status?"

Miku sighed, "Not good, I'm afraid. We're running low on our reserves, Luka and I are tapped. I don't think we can throw anything big, not for some time."

"We're down to our last crate of gumdrops, sergeant," Gumi reported, "And the turret is overheating. I'm cooling it down, but it won't be fully functional for a while yet."

"Damn, that's not good. Corporal, what's your status?"

"My babies…" Meiko lamented.

Kaito growled in frustration. They were so close to beating the high score, too! Fucking zombies, couldn't they just stay dead, for real?

* * *

xxXxx

* * *

Crypton Media Corporation, one of the most influential international incorporation in the world, netting in abundance of wealth from all over the world, day and night. There were staffs working around the clock, customers (paying, of course) frequenting their designated areas, and just all-around busy as hell.

Standing 68 storeys high, the modern architecture stood tall over the surrounding areas, towering over the dwarfs beneath its overcasting shadow. The fact that it was built at the heart of the city meant that it was visible to the better part of the city, no matter where you were, almost as if constantly reminding the denizens below of its importance.

At an office on the Floor 67, a lone teen sat, leaning on soft, exquisite black leather chair, lazing about with a cup of café mocha in one hand. At least, he would've, were it not for an inconvenient interruption in the form of sharp knocks on the door, his secretary coming in with a _huge _pile of paperworks in her arms. Goddamnit…

The teen groaned, "Again?!"

The secretary nodded sympathetically, before she realised that she too, had to partake in sorting through those evil, evil creations, "Yes, the Queen came down with sudden illness, something about eating strange fish of some sort…"

Ayuta sighed exasperatedly. For someone who went under the alias 'Dream Cat', she sure had weak stomach when it came to seafood, oh the irony…

"Alright, let's just get this done and over with…"

And for the next few hours, the two sifted through the pile, occasionally scrunching them up and tossing them into the bin conveniently placed next to the desk. Some held interesting contents, and merited some of their attention, like the Queen's latest updates on her plans of world domination, which included declaring war against the country of Brownies. Due to shortage in cannon fodders, though, she ordered to mobilise the Chocolate Cake Battalion and report to front lines as soon as possible. Shame, those chocolate cakes were good…

Few more hours passed by, and Ayuta was at his limit; if he had to touch _one _more of those goddamned paper, he was gonna-

Then his phone rang, its melodious chime like a godsend. _Right on time! _"Thank you…" he muttered, and haphazardly throwing his pen away, he picked up the dialler, "Yes?"

"Sir! First Sergeant Shion reporting status!"

Ah, of course. There was that inevitable siren that blared and gave them few hours of head start for preparation. Forewarned is forearmed, indeed.

He frowned a little, remembering the intel that came in, about thousands of failed clones of Akaito escaping a secret laboratory and mounting full-scale assault against the city, subsequently dispatching the VOCALOID Units to deal with the threat, along with their 'special toys'. How the zombies escaped the underground facility, he didn't know, though he smelt treachery among the corporation. A thorough investigation was definitely on his agenda.

"Sir? Are you there?"

Snapping back to reality, Ayuta answered, "Yes, I hear you loud and clear. What's the status?"

"Not good, sir. We're running low on ammunition, and the dead shows no signs of retreat. The next wave will advance in less than five minutes, and we're backed into a corner. Requesting for immediate evac, sir!"

"Belay that, you are the first and the last line of defence. If you fall, so will the city. Do whatever it takes to drive them back."

"But sir-"

The teen sighed, "Look here, sergeant. Our main army is currently elsewhere, on the other side of the world, and we've no extra manpower to spare, unless you want to rally the citizens against them, which, in this world, is not an option."

"Fuck…" Kaito swore on the other end of the line, and Ayuta couldn't help but agree. Unless something was done, those six down there were royally fucked.

Unless…

"Hang on a minute, need to check something." Ayuta quickly ran over to a safe vault built into the wall, punched in the appropriate passcodes, and wrenched the door open, revealing a thin brown file. After flicking through the contents, he took out his mobile, and quickly dialled a number, one that was encrypted and scrambled so as to maintain its security. The call was received after two rings, and the conversation was carried out in hushed tones.

"…still not 100% confirmed, need more time…"

"…I know, but we don't have a choice."

"The Queen?"

"She'll approve. Leave that to me, and let them loose! Time is of essence, and we have but very little. You have two minutes, get to it!"

With that the conversation was cut, and the secretary looked up in concern. "What happened?"

"I'll tell you later. Would you please let the Queen know I'll be coming to see her later?"

The secretary nodded, and left the room. Ayuta re-established his com-link with the blunette, "Very well, First Sergeant. We'll be sending two agents and drop them down via helo insertion. ETA two minutes, three tops, sergeant. Hold until then."

"TWO?! Pardon my language, but two? Surely not two thousand, sir? I mean, what the fuck?!"

"You heard me right, two. Rest assured, believe me when I say, those two will probably be the only ones you'll need to get this done. I suggest you take a short break and watch them… _unleashed_."

"Wha-"

"Just a bit of warning, they're a bit… _unstable_, so keep that in mind."

"Sir?" Kaito asked worriedly.

"Over and out, sergeant." The com-link went dead, and that was the end of it.

The teen rubbed his brow tiredly, and he very much hoped that his decision did not leave the six VOCALOIDs traumatised, at least not for long, anyway…

* * *

xxXxx

* * *

Several hundred feet above the ground, a lone dropship flew by, its form a blur as it travelled at incredible velocity. Within the compartment, out of dozen or so seats, only two were taken. The two figures, cloaked in shadow of the interior structure, sat side by side, and if one were to take a closer look, the two figures would be seen holding hands, fingers intertwined. It was silent, save for the humming of the engine of the airborne vehicle.

The plane started to descend, and the pilot turned to address his silent, enigmatic passengers, "We're here, get your gears ready! I'll open the chute, then its skydiving for you two!"

Silence. Whether they heard him or not, he didn't really care. Those two… for some reason, they creeped him out, they just gave this kind of _off _aura. The fact that they seemed to blend in with the shadow only cemented his speculation.

With a hiss, the panel opened, the ground beneath seeming so miniscule, up so high. The two passengers stood up, and not bothering to open the parachute, simply jumped off into the air.

"Hey! What're you-!" The pilot shouted. When he craned his head to the window, his eyes widened as they seem to glide down towards the ground, and holy fuck, was it his imagination, or were those wings on their back?

* * *

xxXxx

* * *

"So, dear sister-slash-lover of mine, you ready for this?"

"Dear brother-slash-lover of mine, of course."

* * *

xxXxx

* * *

The next wave of the dead advanced, the sector filled with requiem of the restless dead. The VOCALOIDs retaliated, though with much less vigour, hopelessness reflected in their eyes. They were closing in, some already pounding against the thick barricade. The thick stone wall was cracking under the pressure, and soon it would give away, leaving the six defenceless, open and vulnerable. Was this it? Was this the end?

Just then, the sky darkened rapidly, casting darkness at the battlefield below, promptly illuminated by series of lighting barraging down on the scene, the intense electricity frying the living dead like popcorns.

The lightning show ended abruptly, before being replaced with sharp icicles raining down from the sky, impaling the unfortunate.

The thunderclouds then parted, a ray of light illuminating and spotlighting two winged figures descending from the heaven above.

'_Angels…?'_

The powerful binoculars showed two fraternal twins, similar length of sun-kissed blonde locks, clad in tight black body suits. The girl of the twin had a large white bow nestled on her head, while her male counterpart had his hair tied in loose, messy ponytail. Their wings were spread wide, white and black feathers slowly drifting away with each powerful flaps. In a way, they _did _look like angels, one Light and one Dark.

All gazes, both that of the living and the unliving, were focused on to the winged pair, who were slowly descending down into the centre of the red sea of zombies, looking almost graceful as they did so.

However, the moment their feet touched the ground, the serene, angelic visages slipped off, revealing complexion of madness, insanity, and bloodlust. Their azure eyes, so seemingly innocent, turned blood-red, their slits narrowing, lips curled back in vicious snarl, the sharp fangs prominently showing. They no longer looked like angels; instead, they looked demonic, inhuman.

With a thunderous roar the two leapt at their undead prays, their claws ripping several Akaito's into pieces with ease, sending severed body parts, organs, and torn limbs into the air. The dead were clumsy, and could do nothing except to hopelessly blunder about until they were sliced apart, one by one. It was almost too easy, seeing how the dead put up very little, if any, resistance. Mere moments after their graceful touchdown, several hundred lay dead, truly dead this time, in pieces, clustered around in a ring formation around the duo.

The VOCALOIDs watched with rapt awe and morbid fascination, unable to tear their gaze from the slaughter-fest. Those two…

"Holy shit, what the _fuck _are they?!" The teal-haired officer asked to no one in particular. She didn't get any answer, not that she expected any. The two of them alone, slaughtering the redhead zombies left and right. This wasn't even a war, anymore, more like carnage.

The twins flapped open their wings, and leapt up high, before slamming down into the ground below, sending out powerful shockwaves that sent the nearest zombies flying upon impact, while others were knocked off their feet. The female twin's clawed hand glowed red, and she raised her arm, and chanted something in foreign language with harsh, ancient voice. What she was saying, the VOCALOIDs could hazard a guess, as the sky rained fire, spheres of flame crashing down to the dead below, incinerating them.

Her counterpart, taking a glance at his twin sister, also decided to join in, though his arm glowed in silvery blue. The sky darkened again, and like before, showers of sharp icicles and powerful lightning struck the ground below, spreading chaos and hell itself.

As the last vestiges of their demonic magic faded, the twins clapped their hands together, channelling their elemental powers into focus. Earth and fire melded, becoming a single entity, extending and forming shape into that of a wicked scythe, the weapon forged from the magma itself, though the girl wielded it with ease. With a single swipe in an arc, the zombies fell, their corpses incinerating from the wounds.

Crackling lightning, fused with swirling wind and frigid water too, became one, though unlike his twin's, it divided into two, forming two identical katana, the blade crystalline ice, lightning and wind swirling around the icy blade. Each slash executed left trails of crackling thunder, the wind shredding the condemned unliving.

As the exquisite display of arcane arts came to its end, the twins suddenly came to a halt, clutching their heads and as if in pain, their eyes squeezed shut, lips tight. After short while the two reopened their eyes, and as if a switch was thrown in, the two broke off into wide psychotic grins, ones that made even the dead tremble in fear.

Then, the insanity began.

The blonde girl raised her scythe, and tore into the dead with renewed vigour, all the while cackling like mad. "Ooh, look at your hands, so lovely~! I might just take it for my garden collection!" She said in a sing-song voice, happily decapitating the undead and lopping off their hands all the while. She conjured up a large bloodstained sack, where she tossed in the severed appendages, humming as she did so.

"Cut off your hands, CUT OFF YOUR HANDS! HEEHEEHEE!"

Her twin, on the other hand, jumped high into the air, crouched into a predator's stance, and dove at the ginger zombies, sinking his fang deep into their necks. The victimized undead fell, completely drained, and the blonde stood over, his eyes burning with fury. Drinking rotten blood tasted worse than two-week rotten cabbages and yak shit. Not that he knew what _those _tasted like…

Like, he was so damn thirsty, and drinking almost literal shit only made him feel worse, fucking zombies! They deserved a long, _long _trip in the blood lake...

He let his rage take over, turning his fair skin red, his blonde hair black, and longer. His claws and fangs elongated, becoming sharper, more lethal. His eyes, too, changed, turning pure white, while his black wings expanded and seemed to _ooze _dark tendrils of shadow. Foolish undeads, they will rue the day they pissed him off! And he was royally pissed. With the berserker's rage, he unleashed his fury, leaving trails of devastation in his wake.

The two stood, side by side, as the zombies continued their assault, still seemingly endless. But luckily, the twins still had several more aces up their sleeves, and decided to up the ante by pulling one out.

Hands together, they channelled their mana, yellow and orange light pulsing from their bodies and into their conjoined hands, and the two chanted, "We summon the mighty weapon, the Road Roller!"

The ground beneath them shook, before the colossal summoned contraption stood before them in all its glory, and as the zombies approached, they commanded, "Road Roller, in defence mode!"

The construction vehicle raised its heavy roller, before slamming them down and forming a thick impenetrable wall to protect its summoners.

"Good, now, change to attack mode!"

"RAWR!" The Road Roller emitted mechanical sound, and literally stood up, the wheels transforming into clawed feet, the front rollers bisecting to form two hands, before they extended and spikes extended out, spinning menacingly. With a wave of its arms, the dead soon began to falter.

_'Hehe, transformers, robots in disguise~' _

A holographic image of a woman materialised in the air, and the AI spoke, "FATALITY. FINISH THEM."

The twins needed no further instruction, and happily obliged.

None of the audience of six were aware how much time passed, but before they knew it, silence reigned the battlefield once more, the orchestra of the dead forever silenced, scattered about in the carnage, with only the whistles of the wind signalling the end.

It was over. No more zombie Akaito's. They won, they won!

Then, the AI spoke once more, "STAGE COMPLETE. NEW HIGH SCORE. PLEASE TYPE IN YOUR NAME."

* * *

xxXxx

* * *

"Yes! New High Score!" Rin screamed out in delight, scooping her five-year old son in her arms as he, too, squealed in delight. Finally, after spending so many hours on the bloody game, they finally finished the damn game! About freakin' time, too!

A cough from the doorway brought them out of their victory-hazed mind, their eyes turned to Len who watched the two with amused expression. "Rin, weren't you supposed to tuck him into bed, not playing the game with him?"

Rin stuck out her tongue, "What can I say, this game's so addicting!"

Len sighed good-naturedly, "Rin, shouldn't you be setting better examples for our son?"

"I am setting a good example, I'm spending quality time with our son, isn't that right, little Nel?" Rin cooed, tickling her baby son. Nel gurgled, and squeaked out, "Fun! Fun pwaying wid mummy!"

"See?" Rin threw a triumphant look at her husband, who could only shake his head in response. Ah well, his wife was a bright woman with childlike wonders, bustling with life and energy. That, and unpredictable, more so when she was pregnant. Three months into pregnancy and Rin was already exhibiting strange behaviour, like skipping down the street, glomping Len whenever he came back from work (one time she glomped him in his office, now _that _took a lot of explaining to do), and such. She was so happy, and it was almost infectious, as it was all laughs and smiles for the small Kagamine family. Their five-year old son, Nel, was just like his mother, active, bursting with boundless energy and burned the better part of his reserves running through the house. Come to think of it, Rin did the same from time to time, and he was exhausted by the time he tucked the two in bed after hours of chasing them up and down the house, but that's a story for another time…

"C'mon, little buddy, time to sleep." He said, cajoling his adorable son to his bed, smiling as Nel cutely yawned and almost immediately fell asleep. Kissing him on the brow lightly, he left the room, but not before grabbing the game CD. Project Diva: Rise of the Undead? Gumi sure had some strange tastes, that was a given, for certain, and why did the characters looked so familiar…?

As soon as he closed the door, his wife lightly slammed into him, claiming his lips on hers almost hungrily. His arms wrapped around her slender frame, bringing her closer, deepening the kiss. After a while they pulled back, and Rin breathed out, "God, I wanted to do that."

Len smiled, "But haven't we already done that less than an hour ago?"

Rin blushed as she recalled the heated make-out session in their bedroom, shortly before Rin went to check up on their son. Of course, it soon progressed into lots of mutual groping that sent waves of pleasure down their body, and the lovers were more than eager to pick up from where they left off…

Rin smirked seductively, before whispering in his ear, "Carry me to our bedroom, husband?"

Len grinned, "As you command, my princess…" he then picked her up in bridal style, and slowly made their way to their bedroom, gently kicking the door open. The door locked behind them with quiet metallic _click_, and soon the room was filled with cries of passion and pleasure as the moon shone in the night sky above.

* * *

**A/N: This was _supposed _to be a crack fic, but stuffs happened along the way, and****... yeah...**

**This story was kind of based off from this dream I once had, much like the whole zombie thing, except they were all chocolate cakes, and I was the one chasing after them, and them running away from me, not the other way round...**

**Speaking of which, this chapter is actually a _heavily_ edited version of the original, the chapter that I wrote while eating chocolate cakes... with hot sake... three glasses, and I vaguely remember doing all sorts of crazy stuff, like... yeah...  
**

**...Ahem, anyways, few readers voiced their displeasure regarding how quickly Len went down, which I was inclined to agree when I looked back at the past chapters. The story took a strange turn, and there just seemed no other way around it, so he didn't get to see much action. Still, to rectify that, I posted up this chapter, making sure that this time, they kicked some serious ass, getting into their 'devastation mode' and whatnot. Hope that satisfy you reviewers, and you know who you are.**

**I personally have nothing against guest reviewers, but it would be better if I know who you are, so that I can read your stories in return and post a review or two myself, just something to keep in mind. Still, thanks for the reviews, anyway :)**

**Yes, I am a pervert, just like everyone else :)**


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